Ariana Grande Eager to Return to the Stage: 'I Love Theater So Much'

Amid achieving critical acclaim as Glinda in the two-part film of Wicked, Ariana Grande is eager to return to the stage. During a conversation with Nicole Kidman for Interview Magazine, the superstar shared that she would be open to appearing on Broadway again in the future.

"I love theater so much," said the actress, looking back at her time in the musical 13 as a teenager. "I had a few little lines, and it was the most incredible training. And to sing songs written by Jason Robert Brown—it’s so beautiful and so challenging. I feel like that’s where I developed stamina. But I would love to be onstage again."

Grande's comments follow a recent interview in which she noted her excitement for a to-be-announced stage production in which she will star. In several interviews, Grande has indicated that she hopes to pursue more acting and musical theater. She has also booked roles in Focker In-Law, the new season of American Horror Story, and Jon M. Chu's animated musical Oh, the Places You'll Go.

Grande stars as Glinda in the two-part film adaptation of Wicked. For her performance in Part One, she was nominated for multiple awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. The sequel, Wicked: For Good, is now in theaters.

Earlier this year, Grande announced 'the eternal sunshine tour,' kicking off in June 2026 in Oakland, CA. This is her first headlining run since 2019’s Sweetener World Tour. The majority of the 2026 dates take place in North America, with stops that include Austin, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Chicago. Her tour will conclude with five London dates in August. Take a look at the full tour lineup here.

The performer has also released a short film "brighter days ahead," released in conjunction with the album. The film is directed by Grande and Christian Breslauer, and sees an elderly Peaches (a character played by Grande) who checks into the Brighter Days clinic to revitalize her memory. 

The latest version of her hit album follows her "slightly deluxe" and "slightly deluxe and also live" editions, which featured alternate live, acoustic, and remixed versions of the tracks. eternal sunshine, her first album since 2020, was released in March of 2024 to acclaim from fans and critics. The title takes inspiration from the 2004 Jim Carrey movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 

A Grammy Award-winning performer, Ariana Grande began professionally pursuing her musical career at only eight years old. Six of her studio albums have reached number one on the Billboard 200, and nine of her songs have topped the Billboard Hot 100. She previously appeared in the original Broadway cast of Jason Robert Brown's 13: The Musical and played Penny Pingleton in the 2016 NBC live telecast of Hairspray.