A Grand Slam! Bull Durham: The Musical at Paper Mill Playhouse
Written by cupor1 on October 25, 2025
By Joely DeMonte
MILLBURN, NJ. Will Savarese (Nuke LaLoosh), Nik Walker (Crash Davis), and the Company of Bull Durham. Photograph by Curtis Brown.
Paper Mill Playhouse opens its 25-26 season with Bull Durham: The Musical, a home run of a production that brings romance, humor, and heart to the stage. Based on the beloved 1988 film, this musical reimagines the iconic story with toe-tapping songs, a knockout cast, and that unmistakable Southern charm that made the movie a classic.
Adapted by the film’s original writer-director Ron Shelton, with music and lyrics by Susan Werner, the show follows veteran catcher Crash Davis (Nik Walker), hotshot rookie pitcher Nuke LaLoosh (Will Savarese), and the devoted baseball muse Annie Savoy (two-time Tony nominee Carmen Cusack), who believes the game is her religion and each season brings her a new “chosen one.” What follows is a love triangle as unpredictable and exhilarating as the sport itself.
At the heart of the show are the powerhouse performances of Cusack and Walker. Cusack is magnetic from her opening number, “The Church of Baseball,” delivering it with soul, confidence, and humor. Walker brings depth and quiet strength to Crash, perfectly balancing charm and world-weary wisdom. Will Savarese rounds out the trio with a delightfully goofy and earnest take on Nuke, a ballplayer with a “million-dollar arm and a five-cent head.”
MILLBURN, NJ. Carmen Cusack (Annie Savoy). Photograph by Curtis Brown.
The production, directed by Marc Bruni (The Great Gatsby) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Smash), is crisp, colorful, and full of movement. The ensemble, including James Moye, Ashlyn Maddox, Nick Wyman, and Joel Ashur, brings the world of minor-league baseball to life with humor and heart.
Visually, the show hits it out of the park. Derek McLane’s scenic design captures everything from small-town ballparks to smoky Southern bars, while Alejo Vietti’s costumes and Cory Pattak’s lighting bathe the stage in that golden Carolina glow.
What makes Bull Durham: The Musical so winning is how it blends laughter and longing. It’s a show about baseball, yes, but more than that, it’s about passion for the game, for life, and for love that refuses to quit. While a few songs may feel like extra innings, the spirit and sincerity never waver.
Paper Mill Playhouse’s Bull Durham is a grand slam of heart, humor, and hope, the perfect start to the season
What makes Bull Durham: The Musical so winning is how it blends laughter and longing. It’s a show about baseball, yes, but more than that, it’s about passion for the game, for life, and for love that refuses to quit. While a few songs may feel like extra innings, the spirit and sincerity never waver.
MILLBURN, NJ. Will Savarese (Nuke LaLoosh – center) and the Company of Bull Durham. Photograph by Curtis Brown.
Paper Mill Playhouse’s Bull Durham is a grand slam of heart, humor, and hope, the perfect start to the season.
For tickets or more information, visit https://papermill.org
Featured image by Curtis Brown.
MILLBURN, NJ. Nik Walker(Crash Davis) and the Company of Bull Durham. Photograph by Curtis Brown.
