The glory days returned for the Today show - for one day at least - as NBC’s morning show reunited Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley on Monday for a one-day nostalgia turn as cohosts. Gumbel and Pauley, who worked together on Today from 1982 to 1989, joined birthday boy Matt Lauer on the set. Their appearance wasn’t ceremonial: With Savannah Guthrie and Natalie Morales off, Gumbel and Pauley had to work. “Getting up was a little difficult, and the studio has changed enormously,” Gumbel said. Pauley said the fast pace makes the experience go “like a bat out of heck.” NBC hoped the trio’s easy camaraderie enticed viewers. After a tumble last year, the show runs second in the ratings to ABC’s Good Morning America. Pauley, who does occasional reports for the show, left as host in 1989, while Gumbel gave way to Lauer in 1997.There were a few film clips of Pauley back in the bighair days, along with other jokes from the pair’s ’80s run. “I understand Gene Shalit’s standing by to review Back to the Future,” Al Roker quipped during a weather segment. Gumbel and Pauley easily navigated a cooking segment in which they poached salmon and pasta. That was like old times, though a segment about what’s trending on Twitter wasn’t.

“Call Me Maybe” singer Carly Rae Jepsen has had her calls returned by Broadway. Producers of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella said Sunday that the Canadian singer-songwriter will take over the role of Cinderella starting Feb. 4 for 12 weeks. She’ll replace Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes. Jepsen, a Grammy Award nominee, began performing in musical theater in high school. She starred in Annie, The Wiz and Grease before attending the Canadian College of Performing Arts. She’ll join the cast alongside Fran Drescher, who will play Cinderella’s stepmother. Drescher is an Emmy Award winner for the TV show The Nanny and takes over Harriet Harris’ role. The Tony-nominated musical has been given a makeover by Douglas Carter Beane, who has aimed to turn the fairy tale into a charming, witty story updated for a new generation.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 12/31/2013