The Wicked reunion we all secretly wanted
‘Wicked: For Good’ might still be playing in theaters and is even available to watch at home, and now that the awards season is heating up, we will surely spot the cast together again. Yet, it feels like we are slowly but surely saying goodbye to our favorites. And yes, that’s a bit hard to swallow. Fortunately, some actors apparently can’t miss each other for too long. Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey are having a real Wicked reunion, and at a very special place.
The rumors are true
Last week, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey both posted a photo on Instagram that raised our eyebrows. The actors were sitting together in front of a large painting, with the only further information being the caption: “All it has to be is good.” What could this mean?
Fans didn’t need long to solve that puzzle. The painting the duo posed in front of was ‘A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’ by Georges Seurat. An iconic artwork that is mainly known because of the musical ‘Sunday in the Park with George’. And that caption? It turns out to be one of the most famous quotes from the play. One and one quickly became two: Ariana and Jonathan are going to star together in this musical. Not long after, the news was officially confirmed by the creators, and yes, the socials exploded.
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What is the musical about?
‘Sunday in the Park with George’ is a well-known title on the playbills. The musical premiered in 1984 and has had several revivals since then. The performance was also seen in the Netherlands in 2010, with leading roles for Alex Klaassen and Elise Schaap. The most recent version closed in 2017. Actually, actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford were supposed to head to the West End afterward, but due to COVID, that production ultimately did not go through. However, the desire to bring the musical back to London remained. And now it’s finally happening.
In ‘Sunday in the Park with George’, we follow George, a fictional version of painter Georges Seurat, as he works on his great masterpiece. George is constantly searching for his artistic voice, and that obsession drives him further away from his girlfriend Dot. The more he loses himself in his art, the more his relationship comes under pressure. In the second act, the focus shifts to his great-grandson, who bears a striking resemblance to him. With big names like Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, you can probably guess the casting by now. They will take on the lead roles of George and Dot in this new version.
No strangers to the stage
Before Ariana flew into our memories as Glinda, we mainly knew her as a singer and as an actress from the series ‘Victorious’ and ‘Sam & Cat’. Her time in theater is somewhat less known, although she has already gained considerable experience there. As a child, Ariana performed at the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theater, where she played in ‘Annie’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and ‘The Wizard of Oz’. The love for the world of ‘Wicked’ was already there from an early age. Later, she even made it to Broadway, where she played the role of Charlotte in the musical ‘13’. She probably won’t have stage fright, although the West End is new for her.
Jonathan, on the other hand, is already well-known in London theaters. In fact, he has previously performed on the stage of the theater where this new show will be playing, but we will get back to that later. Jonathan has an impressive resume when it comes to musicals. Listing everything would be a bit much, but to give you an idea: ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Othello’, and ‘Company’ are just a few titles he has been on the poster for. And while we were still enchanted by Fiyero, Jonathan was back in the theater last year with a leading role in ‘Richard II’. Well, what can these two actually not do?
Where and when can you see the musical?
Anyone who is considering this trip to London will have to be patient for a while. The show will premiere in the summer of 2027 at the Barbican Theatre. We could have expected that. Ariana will first be on her ‘Eternal Sunshine’ tour from July to September of this year. Only after that will there be room to dive fully into rehearsals.
Fortunately, ticket sales for the performances will start a bit earlier. From May 2026, you can try to secure a spot in the audience. Do keep in mind: tickets are only sold through the official website of the theater. With other vendors, there is a good chance you will be dealing with a scam.
How long the performance will run and how many shows there will be is still unknown. So it could very well be a tough ticket sale. After all, Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande together on the West End is a chance you don’t want to miss. If you want to slightly increase those chances, you can sign up for the theater’s newsletter. It will keep you updated on the show and ticket sales. And for everyone who will be there next year: we are secretly already a bit jealous.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
