How did the public receive The Crucible?

The debut of The Crucible at the Martin Beck Theater on Broadway in January of 1953 was met with rather lukewarm reviews, though it did receive the Tony award for best play. Brooks Atkinson wrote in The New York Times:
"After the experience of "Death of a Salesman" we probably expect Mr. Miller to write a masterpiece every time. "The Crucible" is not of that stature and it lacks that universality. On a lower level of dramatic history with considerable pertinence for today, it is a powerful play and a genuine contribution to the season."
Critics and the public alike understood that though set in Salem in 1692, the play was an allegory of the overreaching of Joseph McCarthy and the House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC).  After its initial run on Broadway a second production was mounted and the play became a hit. The Crucible has been a popular revival piece since then. In 1956, Miller was called to testify in front of the HUAC just before he was to travel to Belgium for a production of The Crucible.  Because he would not implicate others, his passport was revoked.
https://www.nytimes.com/books/00/11/12/specials/miller-crucible53.html