1992

In 1992, the year of the Quincentennial, students read Christopher Columbus' own accounts of his voyages and attended a contemporary opera, The Voyage , by Philip Glass.

1993

In 1993, the idea that our country was forged not only from the legacy of Columbus but also from many others' personal journeys was examined when we read and saw the Pulitzer prize-winning play Angels in America by NYU alumnus Tony Kushner.

1994

In 1994, freshmen read Marlowe's Dr. Faustus and then saw the play Faust/gastronome by NYU Professor Richard Schechner. Both works raised questions of values, ambition, and moral accommodation that are relevant to our own academic and political lives.

1995

In 1995, issues of identity were examined through Mark Twain's Puddn'head Wilson and the Broadway revival of the musical Showboat.

1996

In 1996, the Class of 2000 explored the theme "The Millennial Imagination" through H.G. Well's Time Machine and the Broadway musical Rent.

1997

"The Best of all Possible Worlds?" was explored in 1997 through Voltaire's short novel, Candide , and the Broadway play, Les Miserables.

1998

In 1998, the freshman class explored the ways in which New York City has served as a focal point for both the problems and the promises of American modernity. Students read the novel Ragtime , written by NYU professor E.L. Doctorow, and saw the Broadway play of the same name.

1999

In 1999, freshmen explored "The Politics of Culture: Freedom, Creativity, and Societal Responsibility" through Christopher Isherwood's The Berlin Stories and the Broadway musical Cabaret.

2000

"Gender: Past, Present, and Future" was explored in 2000 through Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and the Broadway musical Kiss Me, Kate.

2001

In 2001, freshmen explored the theme of "Dreams, Fantasies, and Reality: Imagination and the Construction of Self" through Michael Cunningham's The Hours and the Broadway hit Contact.

2002

In 2002, the theme of "Transformations" was explored through Ted Hughes' Tales from Ovid and the Broadway play Metamorphoses.

2003

In 2003, "A Dreamer's Quest" was explored through what many consider to be the first modern novel, Cervantes' Don Quixote and the critically acclaimed Broadway revival Man of La Mancha, which is based on Cervantes' text.

2004

In 2004, freshmen explored the theme "Crossing the Divide" by reading and discussing Accordion Crimes by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx and attending one of the following Broadway musicals: Avenue Q, Fiddler on the Roof , or Wicked.

2005

In 2005, the theme of "Heads or Tails: Chance, Choice, and the Search for Meaning in Life" was explored through Tom Stoppard's modern masterpiece Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Shakespeare's Hamlet, performed by the Aquila Theatre Company, company-in-residence at NYU's Center for Ancient Studies.

2006

In 2006, "Surface and Depth" was explored through reading Henry James's Washington Square, and by attending one of the following Broadway musicals: Mamma Mia, Rent, or Wicked.

YOUR FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE AT NYU

College of Arts and Science