Is 'Sunday In The Park With George' Based On True Story? Here's What We Know About The 1984 Musical

Did you really think that Wicked would be the end of Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey's shared screen time? Well, it's not, as the duo is in the news for their future collaboration on Sunday in the Park with George. Yes! The grapevine had been abuzz with the potential revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical since December 2025. And now, the rumours have been confirmed!

Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey officially confirmed the news in a joint Instagram post on January 14, 2026. The picture showed the duo posing in front of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, at The Art Institute of Chicago. However, since the post was made, fans have been intrigued by the story behind their upcoming project. So, without any further ado, let's take a look at everything there's to know about the upcoming musical drama.

What do we know about Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey's upcoming project?

On January 14, 2026 (ET), Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey shared a joint post on Instagram. The picture showed the actors facing each other, seated in front of the iconic painting by Georges Seurat. Later, the production shared details of the musical, confirming its revival at the Barbican Centre, set to begin in summer 2027. Jonathan quoted the musical's titular song in the caption, and wrote:

"All it has to be is good."

Is Sunday in the Park with George based on a true story?

Sunday in the Park with George is partially based on a true story. It takes inspiration from the French painter, Georges Seurat and his masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The show is a fictionalised account of the painting's creation and the artist's life, blending historical facts with dramatic invention by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. It explores the obsessive nature of art and how it can affect the artist and those around them.

Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey's Sunday in the Park with George will be inspired by the 1984 musical

While the story itself is not strictly biographical, the revival will be heavily based on the original musical, which centres on the painting's creation. Sunday in the Park with George is a 1984 musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. The drama explores how devoted Georges Seurat was towards his hard work and how it affected his relationships, especially with his mistress, Dot. When the play was first performed in 1984, James Lapine was new to the world of musical theatre.

On the other hand, Stephen Sondheim was already well known for his work in plays such as Company and Sweeney Todd. While their collaboration was a surprise to theatrical lovers, it had a significant impact. The 1984 musical starred Mandy Patinkin as 'Georges Seurat' and Bernadette Peters as 'Dot'. Despite its later success, the show had a difficult development, with frequent rewrites, tense rehearsals, and uncertainty during its move from Off-Broadway to Broadway. As we await the star-studded revival, let's look at the history and challenges the creators faced in producing the musical in 1984.

What were the challenges Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine faced during the making of Sunday in the Park with George?

During the early performances at Playwright Horizons, the play was still unfinished, especially Act Two, which followed 'Georges's' descendants a century after the painting was made. Songs were missing, and the structure remained unclear. The uncertainty made Mandy question the future of the play, leading to a period of deepening anxiety where he even considered quitting the production. James even recalled an incident in which he chased Mandy down 42nd Street to prevent him from quitting. 

image credit @MasterWorkBroadway

Stephen's popular song, Finishing The Hat, was added a few weeks after the show began airing. It explored 'Georges's' obsession with his art and the cost of it. According to the play's orchestrator, Michael Starobin, the cast was unsure about their feelings toward 'Georges's' character until the song was finalised. It gave the play the emotional clarity it deeply needed. Once it was rehearsed, everything fell into place, giving the production a sense of completion.

image credit @MasterWorkBroadway

Bernadette Peters also had a special condition for her role. The actress felt that 'Dot' disappeared after her early scenes, and demanded that her character be given her own song. This led Stephen to write a new number, We Do Not Belong Together, giving 'Dot' a stronger voice and clarifying her conflict with 'George'. While the makers and the cast gave their all to the show, the audience's reaction during the previews was extremely harsh.

Actors recalled people making sarcastic comments during Act Two and laughing during the show's slower moments. However, Stephen and James lifted their team's morale by discussing their own failures, reminding the cast that challenging shows often take time to find their audience. At the 1984 Tony Awards, the play competed against Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles. While the latter won the Best Score, he made a pointed comment praising "simple, hummable" tunes, widely seen as a dig at Stephen's more complex music. 

Eventually, Sunday in the Park with George found its place and ran for 604 performances. In 1985, the musical won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, two Tony Awards for design (and a nomination for Best Musical), numerous Drama Desk Awards, the 1991 Olivier Award for Best Musical, and the 2007 Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production.

Are you excited about the revival of Sunday in the Park with George? Let us know.

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