After attending the new Broadway musical March 28 and learning of the show's closing, the talk show host Rhea heard the news about the show's last minute reprieve and booked the young lead for Sunday, according to a production spokesperson. Cavenaugh will perform the Jason Robert Brown song "It Don't Get Better Than This" at the opening of the broadcast as musical director Brown will accompany the Caroline Rhea band. Co-stars Jenn Colella, Marcus Chait and Jodi Stevens were on hand in the audience.
Actress Rita Moreno — star of the movie version of West Side Story — is also a guest on the show. Moreno and co-star George Chakiris are currently in New York promoting the DVD release of the special edition box set of the "West Side Story."