The wolf of Broadway
WHAT BIG stage presence you have.
Broadway audiences are crying wolf at “The Crucible,” thanks to a startling canine star turn.
Meet Luchta, a purebred Tamaskan pup who plays a big, bad wolf in the new production of Arthur Miller’s drama inspired by the Salem witch trials.
The revival packs supernatural touches, and producers originally wanted to use an actual wolf. “They’re illegal in most states, including New York,” animal trainer William Berloni told the Daily News.
Plan B: Hire a lupine lookalike. Tamaskans, a rare breed with a wolfish appearance, fit the bill. Berloni’s connections from theater and his work at the Humane Society of New York led him to Seattle to find his new star.
Brad and Siobhan Wilder and their kids were having a ball raising Luchta, a Tam with a gray and brown coat and innate star quality. He knows basic commands, and when he wants to eat, he rings bells dangling from a wall hook and then heads to the kitchen.
Dog and trainer set off on a crosscountry car ride Jan. 10 and pulled into Manhattan six days later. Previews for the play began March 1.
“I usually have six months to train a dog,” said Berloni, whose career reaches back 40 years to “Annie.” “For this play I had six weeks.”
Following a complicated regimen, Berloni had to work in secret until the show opened. The assignment began as Berloni mourned the death of his longtime pet, Nellie, a Bulldog seen in “Legally Blonde.”
“In ‘The Crucible,’ the dog has a solo turn onstage by himself, scavenging the forest and scanning the horizon for prey.
That’s when Luchta stares straight into the orchestra seats — creating shivers. The feral presence is in step with the spooky production, which earned a mixed review from the Daily News. The wolfen walk-on lasts less than a minute and brings the theater to a breathless standstill.
“A hush fell over the audience,” said Steve Tarca, 30, a guest-service supervisor who lives in Queens and saw the play Wednesday. “You could hear audible gasps.”
His friend Rosanne Carlo, 30, who teaches writing at the College of Staten Island, described Luchta “as another bad omen. He was scary and predatory.” But it’s all an act. “He’s so friendly and good-natured,” said Berloni. “Still, when he’s on a leash, 90% of people who comment say, ‘Is that a wolf?’ ”
Siobhan Wilder described her 78-pound pet as “a goofy lunk.”
“We miss him so much,” she said. “But I think Luchta’s having a better life than we are.”
That includes rubbing elbows — and muzzle — with actors Saoirse Ronan and Ben Whishaw, who play witchy Abigail Williams and beleaguered John Proctor.
Luchta stays in an apartment in Washington Heights near a small park and he craves dried chicken livers.
But no grooming or doggy day spas. Director Ivo van Hove wants him to have raggedy, ungroomed look.
“He’s young, just 18 months, so he’s very lean. He gives the feeling of a hungry wolf,” Berloni said.