VIDEO: 'CURIOUS INCIDENT's Toby the Rat Trainer Featured in New 'Backstage on Broadway'

This week's "Backstage on Broadway" on New York's PIX 11 features Broadway's latest crop of ANIMAL stars and their trainers.

"I was terrified, like seriously my nightmares were rats coming at me," reveals Lydia DesRoche, trainer for 'Toby' the rat in the Broadway smash The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. "I was just so terrified but I wanted the gig."

She adds, "The most challenging thing is getting them comfortable with being on stage and the people and the noise."

Explains Kelly Fox, who trains a group of kittens for the current revival of You Can't Take It With You, "The main priority is to have them desensitized to loud sounds. I have everything recorded that they'll have to listen to during their six minutes on stage. And as they progress we turn the volume up and then eventually we have our dry run on stage."

Check out the feature in full below!

Written by Simon Stephens, adapted from Mark Haddon's best-selling novel, and directed by Tony Award-winner Marianne Elliott, the play began preview performances on September 20, 2014 and opened to rave reviews on October 5, 2014. The production plays at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street).

The National Theatre production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has been named among the Top 10 productions of the year by amNY, Asbury Park Press, Associated Press, Bergen Record, Broadway.com, Broadway Insider, Chicago Tribune, Daily News, Deadline, Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post, New York Magazine, New York Post, NY-1, The New York Times, Playbill, Star Ledger, Time Magazine, Time Out New York and Towleroad.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME stars Juilliard graduate Alex Sharp in his Broadway debut as Christopher, IanBarford (August: Osage County) as Ed, Helen Carey (London Assurance, Tony nomination and Theatre World Award) as Mrs. Alexander,Francesca Faridany (The 39 Steps) as Siobhan and Enid Graham (The Constant Wife) as Judy. The ensemble includes Jocelyn Bioh (An Octoroon at Soho Rep), Keren Dukes ("Nurse Jackie"), Stephanie Roth Haberle (Artist Descending a Staircase), Mercedes Herrero (The Laramie Project and its sequel), Richard Hollis (Hit-Lit at Queens Theatre), Ben Horner (War Horse), David Manis (War Horse), Tom Patrick Stephens(The New York Idea) and Timothy Wright (The Bridges of Madison County). Taylor Trensch (Matilda the Musical) will play Christopher at certain performances.

Fifteen-year old Christopher has an extraordinary brain; he is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor's dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever.