A new production of Sunday in the Park with George has been announced for London, with Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande confirmed to star. The production will open at the Barbican Centre in summer 2027.
The musical features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine. It will be directed by Marianne Elliott, with design by Tom Scutt. The production is produced by Empire Street Productions and presented in association with the Barbican.
First premiered on Broadway in 1984, Sunday in the Park with George is regarded as one of Sondheim’s most significant works. Inspired by Georges Seurat’s painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, the musical examines artistic creation, relationships, and the personal cost of ambition. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and has remained a fixture of major international revivals for more than four decades.
The musical is also a long-standing Matinee favourite. Performances by Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters and Jake Gyllenhaal regularly feature on Matinee, reflecting the show’s continued popularity and its enduring presence in musical theatre culture. Songs such as Finishing the Hat and Move On remain among Sondheim’s most frequently played and discussed works.
Jonathan Bailey will take on the role of Georges, marking a major musical theatre return in London. Ariana Grande will star as Dot, a role that has historically attracted some of the greatest musical performers due to its vocal and dramatic demands. Grande and Bailey have most famously performed together as Glinda and Fiyero in the Wicked movies.
Tickets for the Barbican season will go on sale in May 2026 and will be available exclusively through the official Barbican website and box office. Further casting and creative details will be announced at a later date.
Sunday in the Park with George will begin performances at the Barbican Centre in summer 2027.
