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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Chantal Mann

Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor

Chantal Mann is a junior studying journalism and drama. When she’s not busy hunting for the city’s best chocolate chip cookie, you can find her blasting Lady Gaga through her headphones or rewatching old seasons of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in the Tisch lounge. You can find her on Instagram @chantal.mn, on Letterboxd @lamebian or email her at [email protected].

All content by Chantal Mann
(Courtesy of The Public Theater)

Q&A: MFA Tisch alum on bringing Shakespeare to Central Park

Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens spoke to WSN about starring in The Public Theater’s production of “Romeo & Juliet” as part of free Shakespeare in the Park programming.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor May 5, 2026

Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens had never uttered a word of Shakespeare until she auditioned for the Tisch School of the Arts’ prestigious Grad Acting program, which she graduated from...

(Courtesy of Karen Almond and the Metropolitan Opera)

Are we ready for art about mass shootings?

The celebrated opera “Innocence” is making its New York debut at the Metropolitan Opera, but its artistic intentions don’t justify the subject matter.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor April 6, 2026

Content warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence. The first time it happened, I didn’t know what gunshots sounded like yet. I was five, or maybe six —...

(Courtesy of Valerie Terranova)

Review: In ‘No Singing in the Navy,’ to be cringe is to be free

The off-Broadway musical about three silly sailors singing showtunes is a hilarious, moving love letter to musical theater.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor March 30, 2026

Growing up doing theater, I always wanted to be taken extremely seriously. My stage debut as Nana the dog in “Peter Pan JR.” may have included no lines, but it was rich with...

(Courtesy of Marc J. Franklin)

Review: ‘You Got Older’ is emotionally avoidant

The off-Broadway play, now running at the Cherry Lane Theatre, is entertaining but falls short of its emotional landing.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor March 26, 2026

I knew I had finally gotten older when I started allowing myself to openly cry. The shame that followed me throughout my childhood vanished soon after I started college, and I’ve...

(Jada Nakagawa and Suditi Sircar for WSN)

Books beyond Bobst: A heartfelt historical fiction, a time loop and more

Books beyond Bobst is a book-rec column highlighting what NYU students are reading now, outside of their classes. If you’re in need of a new read, look no further.

“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini One of my life goals is to read every one of my friends’ favorite books. In this process, I picked up “The Kite Runner,” a novel...

(Courtesy of MTV)

Q&A: A Drama alum’s drag spreads a message of love

DD Fuego spoke with WSN about her journey to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and how she deals with fan perceptions.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor February 6, 2026

Putting on a costume and wig while standing under blinding stage lights with a crowd staring at you can be a nightmare scenario for some. But for DD Fuego, a Tisch alum...

(Courtesy of Matthew Murphy)

Review: Broadway’s ‘Chess’ ends in a stalemate

This Cold War game of chess pits pawns against nuclear bombs, but doesn’t always land on target.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor February 4, 2026

Watching a game of chess play out isn’t exactly the most exciting way to spend a night out — let alone playing one. Learning which piece is which and how they move across...

(Suditi Sircar for WSN)

Hundreds protest ICE outside The Public Theater

Students, artists and politicians gathered at the eight-hour demonstration to denounce violent immigration raids escalating nationwide.
Chantal Mann, Performing Arts Editor February 1, 2026

As protests against escalating violence from immigration agents erupt nationwide, New York City’s theater community came together on Saturday outside the steps of The Public...

(Suditi Sircar for WSN)

Books beyond Bobst: A feminist cultural analysis, a multi-perspective thriller and more

Books beyond Bobst is a book-rec column highlighting what NYU students are reading now, outside of their classes. If you’re in need of a new read, look no further.

“Seven Days In June” by Tia Williams Even for the most skeptical romance readers, Tia Williams’ fifth novel, “Seven Days In June,” promises to be a worthwhile read....

(Courtesy of Julieta Cervantes)

Review: ‘Oedipus’ is not your mother’s Greek tragedy

Broadway’s exhilarating new take on the classroom classic is more than just a revival dressed in modern clothes.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer December 9, 2025

High school students across the country know the horror of walking into English class to begin the unit they have dreaded all semester: Greek tragedies. More often than...

(Maryam Lootah for WSN)

Researchers develop AI tool to untangle legal language

ContractNerd examines employment and rental contracts, flagging risky clauses for those unfamiliar with law.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer December 2, 2025

NYU computer science researchers developed an AI tool that simplifies contracts like rental leases or employment agreements to help individuals unfamiliar with law understand legal...

(Courtesy of Michael Kushner)

Q&A: Tony-winning producer Rachel Sussman on ‘Liberation’

The Tisch alum and Tony Award-winning producer spoke with WSN about her new theatrical project and how her time at NYU shaped her career.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer November 4, 2025

Rachel Sussman was eight years old when she first saw “Les Misérables.” The national tour was passing through Detroit, and her family took her to see the production...

NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus. (Sam Klein for WSN)

NYU Abu Dhabi to offer master’s in data science and AI

At the first program of its kind in the United Arab Emirates, students will specialize in one of seven industries.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer October 29, 2025

NYU Abu Dhabi will welcome its first cohort of students pursuing a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in fall 2026, making it the first institution...

(Echo Chen for WSN)

Congress probes NYU Shanghai for connection to Chinese Communist Party

Two congressional committees claimed that the Chinese government exploits over 50 U.S. research institutions for military gain.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer October 15, 2025

Two U.S. House of Representatives committees named NYU Shanghai as a national security threat that advances the Chinese Communist Party’s military and technological agenda in...

(Alex Woodworth for WSN)

Campus Cash program ends due to low engagement

The summer semester marked the last time students without a meal plan could use their NYU IDs at on-campus dining locations.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer October 8, 2025

Tisch junior Juliana Bell used Campus Cash almost every day, most frequently at Peet’s Coffee and Paulson Center vending machines. She liked that the program, which allowed students...

(Krish Dev for WSN)

Stern MBA ranks second-to-last for return on investment

The business school’s No. 67 ranking from Bloomberg comes as the average post-grad value of an MBA is declining across the country.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer October 2, 2025

The Stern School of Business’ MBA program ranked No. 67 out 68 schools listed on the Bloomberg return on investment calculator, which measures salary growth in proportion to...

(Courtesy of Matthew Murphy)

Review: ‘Art’ on Broadway fails to craft a compelling production

Director Scott Ellis’ star-powered revival rejects creative risk in favor of using celebrity names to boost its box office.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer September 26, 2025

What is art? This is a question museum curators, theater critics and NYU undergraduates alike grapple with endlessly. The short answer: No one knows for sure, and especially...

(Kevin Wu for WSN)

NYU Langone previews $83 million Kips Bay expansion

The medical center proposed an additional five operating rooms and 29 emergency room bays, citing a substantial increase in patient volume.
Chantal Mann, Staff Writer September 19, 2025

NYU Langone Health is slated for another expansion, proposing an $83 million project to grow its emergency department in Kips Bay, according to an application filed with the New...

(Manasa Gudavalli for WSN)

Mills named a Crain’s Woman of Influence

President Linda Mills was one of 12 women selected for the honor by Crain’s New York Business, which cited her multifaceted approach to growing NYU’s institutional prominence.
Chantal Mann, Contributing Writer April 25, 2025

President Linda Mills is one of 12 Women of Influence commemorated in Crain’s New York Business’ annual list, which selects a small group of “visionary leaders” who “defy...

The exterior of a building with a purple “N.Y.U. Langone Health” sign.

NYU Langone spends half the national average on charity care, experts say

The medical center said the calculation fails to consider its other affordable care offerings, which it says exceed those of other health systems.
Chantal Mann, Contributing Writer December 6, 2024

While NYU Langone Health’s hospital system consistently yields some of the nation’s highest profits, medical accounting experts have noted that it allocates a smaller percentage...

People in suits stand against a wall reading "THE HOME DEPOT Emergency Department."

NYU Langone names emergency department after Home Depot

The department received $10 million from The Home Depot Foundation, which was founded by the medical center’s billionaire namesake Kenneth Langone.
Chantal Mann, Contributing Writer November 27, 2024

The Home Depot Foundation gifted NYU Langone Health $10 million last week to expand the medical center’s reach at an emergency department in Brooklyn, which has since been named...

Two women stand over a kitchen island, making a cup of coffee together.

Review: ‘The Roommate’ struggles to find its heart

The Broadway production starring Patti LuPone and Mia Farrow inspires a lot of laughs, but not much else.
Chantal Mann, Contributing Writer November 26, 2024

Having a roommate isn’t foreign to most New Yorkers or college students, although having one in your 50s and 60s in Iowa is a bit more unordinary. Nonetheless, Jen Silverman’s...