In this paper, the author studies the unitary representations of the braid group and the geometric structures on moduli space that arise via the Hodge theory of cyclic branched coverings of P^1. In particular, the author is interested in the classification of certain arithmetic subgroups of U(r, s) which envelop the image of the braid group. The author investigates their connections with complex reflection groups, Teichm\"{u}lller curves, ergodic theory and problems in surface topology.