Sunday in the Park with George: Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande Star in Sondheim's Masterpiece

Two of cinema's brightest stars are reuniting on the London stage. Fresh from their phenomenal success in the Wicked films, Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande will lead a major new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday in the Park with George. The production opens at the Barbican Theatre in Summer 2027, directed by Tony and Olivier Award winner Marianne Elliott.

What Is Sunday in the Park with George About?

Sunday in the Park with George weaves art, love, and legacy into a profoundly moving theatrical experience. The first act follows French painter Georges Seurat during 1884-1886 as he creates his pointillist masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Through Sondheim's intricate score, we watch Seurat struggle to balance his obsessive artistic vision with his relationship with Dot, his witty, devoted muse.

The second act leaps forward a century to follow George, a modern artist who happens to be Seurat's great-grandson. Grappling with creative block and commercial pressures, George discovers that the answers to his artistic struggles may lie in understanding his ancestor's legacy. It's a meditation on what artists sacrifice for their work, what endures across generations, and the eternal question of how to move forward when you've run out of ideas.

Jonathan Bailey as Georges Seurat

Jonathan Bailey brings extraordinary theatrical credentials to the role of Seurat. West End audiences know him from his Olivier Award-winning performance in Company, where he worked with the same director, Marianne Elliott. His stage career began at age eight in Les Misérables, and he's since starred in productions including The Last Five Years, Cock, and Richard II.

Bailey has become a global phenomenon through his role as Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix's Bridgerton and his portrayal of Fiyero in the Wicked films. In 2025, he was named People's Sexiest Man Alive and became the year's highest-grossing box office star with Jurassic World Rebirth and Wicked: For Good. His combination of dramatic intensity, musical talent, and magnetic stage presence makes him ideally suited to capture Seurat's single-minded artistic obsession.

Ariana Grande as Dot

Ariana Grande makes her West End debut with this production, bringing her Grammy Award-winning vocal prowess and Academy Award-nominated acting to Sondheim's demanding score. Her portrayal of Glinda in both Wicked films earned nominations for Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice, and SAG Award for Best Supporting Actress, with the films collectively grossing over $1.2 billion worldwide.

Grande's stage experience includes her Broadway debut in 13, and her musical theatre training is evident in her performance as Glinda. The role of Dot requires both comedic timing and emotional depth, showcasing her range as a performer beyond her celebrated pop career. She also plays Dot's daughter Marie in the second act, demonstrating the generational connection at the heart of the story.

Marianne Elliott Directs

Tony and Olivier Award-winning director Marianne Elliott helms this production, reuniting with Jonathan Bailey after their acclaimed Company collaboration. Elliott's groundbreaking work includes the gender-swapped Company revival, War Horse, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Her productions are known for innovative staging and deep emotional intelligence.

Tom Scutt, the Tony Award-winning designer responsible for the visual world of productions including Cabaret and Company, creates the design. The production is presented by Empire Street Productions in association with the Barbican.

The Music of Stephen Sondheim

Sunday in the Park with George features one of Sondheim's most sophisticated and beautiful scores. Songs including "Finishing the Hat," "Move On," and "Putting It Together" have become standards of musical theatre. The title song, "Sunday," builds from fragments into a breathtaking choral finale that recreates Seurat's painting on stage.

Sondheim's score uses musical pointillism, building complex harmonies from simple melodic fragments just as Seurat built his painting from individual dots of colour. It's technically demanding for performers and emotionally rewarding for audiences.

Award-Winning Musical Theatre History

Sunday in the Park with George premiered on Broadway in 1984 with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985. The original production received ten Tony Award nominations and established the show as a modern classic. Subsequent revivals have included a 2006 London production at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Wyndham's Theatre, which won five Olivier Awards including Outstanding Musical Production, and a 2017 Broadway revival starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.

The Barbican Theatre

The Barbican Theatre provides an ideal setting for this intimate yet visually ambitious production. With approximately 1,166 seats, the venue offers excellent sightlines from every section. The Barbican Centre itself is one of Europe's largest multi-arts venues, home to the London Symphony Orchestra and a regular base for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The theatre is easily accessible via Barbican or Moorgate Underground stations, with Liverpool Street and Farringdon also within walking distance. Step-free access is available throughout the venue.

Book Sunday in the Park with George Tickets

Tickets go on sale in May 2026 through the Barbican box office. This star-studded production is expected to be one of the most sought-after theatrical events of 2027. Register your interest now to receive updates when booking opens.