In the Season 1 finale of Rise, “Opening Night,” everyone gets ready for the opening night of the controversial play “Spring Awakening.” And yes, there is drama before the curtain opens. While closeted gay teen Simon (Ted Sutherland) struggles to overcome his fear, his best friend Lilette (Auli’i Cravalho) receives a visitor backstage. It’s Johnny Cruz, and he brought her a box of chocolates.
Lilette’s mother’s friend Johnny Cruz is portrayed by Ricardo Chavira. Chavira is known for his roles on Scandal (Francisco Vargas), Jane the Virgin (Bruce), the Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet (Dan Palmer), Desperate Housewives (Carlos Solis), and Six Feet Under (Ramon), among others. Rise airs Tuesdays at 9pm on NBC, right after The Voice.
