Urinetown, the Musical

The fall musical of the Bard Hall Players was “Urinetown,” which was staged Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 
and Nov. 2 in P&S Alumni Auditorium. The show was directed by Haley Masterson, one of the 10 inaugural Columbia-Bassett program class members scheduled to graduate next spring.

Ms. Masterson describes what attracted her to the musical: “Urinetown is a light-hearted, fun musical romp about nihilism, death, and total ecological devastation. While I was initially drawn to this musical because of the incredibly clever script and catchy score (it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2001 and won three), the more I thought about it, the more I realized how perfect this dark comedy was for the Bard Hall Players. It’s a true ensemble musical, calling for a wide variety of talent (and no shortage of medical inside jokes related to the subject matter).”

Ms. Masterson described directing the production as one of the most rewarding experiences in medical school. “Our cast, crew, and orchestra include medical students, pharmacology PhD candidates, a dermatologist, nutrition students, and several former professional actors, musicians, technicians, and opera singers. 

“One of the best parts of my Columbia University Medical Center experience has been the incredible diversity of students. So in my final year at P&S, I’m thrilled to be able to direct so many of them in a show that allows for a surprisingly diverse array of humor, emotion, and music.”