Jennifer Aniston staggered the gathering at a Broadway: The former Friends star appeared as the spirit of a dead dog in the production - one of six short plays written and performed in a day for the 24 Hour Plays on Broadway bash.

But theatregoers weren't the only ones surprised at Aniston's participation - castmembers including Kyra Sedgwick, Sam Rockwell and Nia Vardalos were also unaware of her cameo, reports People. And Aniston only just made it in time for the show, after rushing over from the New York set of her new comedy Wanderlust.

A source tells the website, "She's known about the show for weeks, but whether or not she could perform depended on her shooting schedule. She actually came right from the set. Aniston's actress pal Kathy Najimy says, "She did fantastic, and the crowd went wild. What's not to love? It's Jennifer Aniston."