Hey, Florence!, a musical reflecting the day-to-day life of nurses at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, premiered in September in Langford Auditorium. Directed by renowned Australian playwright Craig Christie, the 60-minute show starred nine active-duty VUMC nurses. Christie based the musical on stories told by Vanderbilt nurses and on his own experiences in shadowing them throughout their workday.
The production included songs like “Someone’s Gotta Do It,” about the difficult and messy jobs nurses take on; “Another Goodbye,” about the pain of losing patients; and “I Need Chocolate,” which needs no explanation.
“This is a chance for the nurses to tell their stories. It’s a look at contemporary nursing, and it will touch everyone emotionally. You will laugh and cry,” said Donna Glassford, director of cultural enrichment at VUMC, who was the show’s producer.
The production was a collaborative effort between the Office of Cultural Enrichment and the Nurse Wellness Committee.
Donna Collins, R.N., had never sung in front of another person before joining the Hey, Florence! cast, but gets her experience from singing very loudly in her car. “My manager told me to do it. She said she wanted me to go and represent our floor,” Collins explained. “I love it because it’s exactly my life story every day.”