Review Roundup: BULL DURHAM at Paper Mill Playhouse

Performances are now underway for the new musical Bull Durham now in previews at Paper Mill Playhouse! The production opened on Sunday, October 12 and will continue performances through Sunday, November 2. Read the reviews below!

Directed by Marc Bruni and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse, Bull Durham stars two-time Tony Award nominee Carmen Cusack as Annie Savoy, Nik Walker as Crash Davis, Joel Ashur as Larry, Ashlyn Maddox as Millie, James Moye as Skip, Andrew Poston as Jimmy, Will Savarese as Nuke LaLoosh, and Nick Wyman as Uncle Roy. The ensemble features Mike Baerga, Ellie Barone, Tre’ Booker, Jacob Burns, Daniel DiPinto, Benny Elledge, Diana Huey, Ashton Lambert, Brian Shimasaki Liebson, Jessi Little, Carson Hampton Palmer, Valentina Shelton, Jake Trammel, Dori Waymer, Matt Wiercinski, Casey Wortham, and Blake Zelesnikar.

Bull Durham brings the classic 1988 film to the stage. Veteran catcher “Crash” Davis is tasked with mentoring hotshot rookie pitcher “Nuke” LaLoosh, while baseball muse Annie must choose her seasonal protégé. Adapted by its original Academy Award-nominated screenwriter/director, Ron Shelton, with music and lyrics by Susan Werner, this pitch-perfect musical delivers a winning blend of comedy, drama, and romance as passion, ambition, and America’s favorite pastime collide.

Marina Kennedy, BroadwayWorld: The company’s acting and vocal talents are exceptional. Their vivid portrayals of the show's characters shine bright. Leading the troupe are Carmen Cusack as Annie Savoy; Nik Walker as Crash Davis; and Will Savarese as Nuke LaLoosh.  They are joined by Joel Ashur as Larry; Ashlyn Maddox as Millie; James Moye as Skip; Andrew Poston as Jimmy; and Nick Wyman as Uncle Roy.

Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times: In its stage form, “Bull Durham” comes across as not only deliberate but also miscalculated, as if its creators worried that the movie was a little too adult for a musical theater audience — a little too frankly sexual, a little too unabashedly intelligent — and they needed to dumb it down. They appear to be aiming it at a less sophisticated, more socially conservative crowd, rooted in some imaginary cornpone heartland.

Roma Torre, New York Stage Review: Everyone in the cast stands out. I was especially impressed with Cusack as the sexy and smart poetry spouting Annie. She belts out her tunes with the power of a homerun hitter. She also deepens the character with a keen sense of self-awareness. This is a woman who knows enough to shrewdly point out that male bonding could also be a sign of latent homosexuality. She later reveals a vulnerable side and a level of insecurity that gives Annie a dimension that was missing in the movie. 

Ryan Leeds, 1 Minute Critic: Thank goodness for Cusack, who is the real standout here and the key reason to see Bull Durham. The Tony nominee took Broadway by storm in 2016’s Bright Star. Theatergoers who missed her in it will understand why she’s such an impressive force. 

Debbie L. Hochberg, Essex News Daily: With a marvelous book by Ron Shelton, outstanding music and lyrics by Susan Werner and fine direction by Marc Bruni, this wonderful production, based on the 1988 film of the same name, truly hits it out of the park – apologies for the baseball puns.

Jay Lustig, NJ Arts: Shelton evokes the folksy delivery of small-town baseball radio broadcasters; and the way players learn to give bland, noncommittal answers in interviews (e.g., “I’m just happy to be here and hope I can help the ballclub”). He also has the team’s bull mascot start the second act by leading the crowd in “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Corny? Sure. But it works. This “Bull Durham” is proudly old-fashioned, in a lot of good ways.

Patrick Maley, NJ.com: “Bull Durham: The Musical” brings the classic film to the stage while injecting song and dance into the movie’s narrative. Like the endless parade of movie-to-musical adaptations that now populate American theaters, the show seeks to tap into the spirit the makes its source material so popular while also presenting it in a new and commercially profitable format.

Lee Pfeiffer, Cinema Retro: There are plenty of laughs along the way and Bruni's direction is spot-on. There are a lot of cast members on stage at any given time and Bruni has to be as much a traffic cop as a musical director. He pulls off both responsibilities admirably. Similarly, Choreographer Joshua Bergasse ensures that the dance numbers are equally impressive. Kudos to Casting Director Eric Woodall for making sure there isn't a weak link in terms of the supporting performances. Werner's score doesn't provide any show-stopping numbers but every one of the songs is good and Cusak does get to solo in the production's most impressive number.