Most Unique Show to Ever Be On Broadway — Page 2

STARLIGHT EXPRESS

Except for a couple numbers and the underdog theme, I disliked it from start to finish, but IMO I'd classify it as unique.

ethan23 said... "Great Comet..."

yes and Hamilton

1776 is still unique and was completely unique in its time.

Porgy and Bess was unique for its time, but other than that, GC provides a pretty unique experience.

GavestonPS said: "^^^^ Citation please? Your personal "instinct" makes no sense whatsoever."

It doesn't make sense to me to say that a native speaker's judgment doesn't make sense. These kinds of judgments are the data that various authorities use to make their rules. Our intuitions disagree on this because we have two slightly different grammars in our heads. Neither one of us is right or wrong; we just speak slightly different versions of English.

To me, it's perfectly natural to say that, while every species of bird is unique, the dodo was especially unique. I'm sure you don't like hearing the word used that way. No harm, no foul, just a disagreement.

Below you'll find the usage note at dictionary.com (which is a version of the Random House dictionary). Other sources may disagree on this, just as you and I do.

Many authors of usage guides, editors, teachers, and others feel strongly that such “absolute” words as complete, equal, perfect, and especially unique cannot be compared because of their “meaning”: a word that denotes an absolute condition cannot be described as denoting more or less than that absolute condition. However, all such words have undergone semantic development and are used in a number of senses, some of which can be compared by words like more, very, most, absolutely, somewhat,and totally and some of which cannot.

[I apologize for the formatting, but I can't seem to make it work.]

Updated On: 8/15/17 at 09:24 AM

I'm not sure how some of these are considered unique, but I think any list would have to include the Debbie Harry/Andy Kaufman wrestling show Teaneck Tanzi: Venus Fly Trap.

Debbie on Tanzi

Among recent shows I'd say Indecent, from both content and staging perspectives.

And love it or hate it, 1984 is pretty damn unique too.

I would say SUNSET BOULEVARD (original production). The detailed gold mansion moving up and down (with Norma climbing the stairs at the same time) made for a more dizzying / amusement park setting. No wonder no other musical duplicated this.



STARLIGHT EXPRESS is a close second.

The standard definition of "unique" is something which is unlike anything else, or one of a kind. Obviously any production in an established theater venue cannot be unique in the absolute sense, but it is possible to say that some shows include individual characteristics that are unique. So I chose to put emphasis on productions in which there was a major departure from common stage production values or approaches. That process eliminated virtually any production that relies upon "Broadway musical" or "standard play" characteristics. I chose WAR HORSE because it required the audience to consistently ignore the reality of life size puppets filled with dancers and relate to the presentation as a living breathing sentient horse as the central character of the entire story. For me, it worked magically. If it did not work, the entire production could be considered a failure. And I chose THE ENCOUNTER because it isolated me in a one-on-one world of sound and required extraordinary attention and engagement on a listener's part. To reduce visual input in a visual medium like the theater is a risk - and many disliked the production because of that. I have not seen (nor do I expect to see) these approaches copied successfully by others. Hence - unique.

JBroadway said: "@Gaveston: Maybe the question should be rephrased as "Broadway shows with the highest number of unique qualities" or "Broadway shows that are most notably unique." Technically speaking, every show is unique in some sense. Even a highly derivative revival may be unique in an insignificant regard like "the only show in which so-and-so starred." (unless I'm still misunderstanding how to use the word correctly?) I know the word "unique" grammatically can't be used with a qualifier, but with something as multi-dimensional as a Broadway show, maybe in a conceptual sense there can be varying degrees of being unique.



"

We have a phrase for that: "most unusual".

puppetry of the penis

kdogg36 said: "GavestonPS said: "^^^^ Citation please? Your personal "instinct" makes no sense whatsoever."

It doesn't make sense to me to say that a native speaker's judgment doesn't make sense. These kinds of judgments are the data that various authorities use to make their rules. Our intuitions disagree on this because we have two slightly different grammars in our heads. Neither one of us is right or wrong; we just speak slightly different versions of English.

To me, it's perfectly natural to say that, while every species of bird is unique, the dodo was especially unique. I'm sure you don't like hearing the word used that way. No harm, no foul, just a disagreement.

Below you'll find the usage note at dictionary.com (which is a version of the Random House dictionary). Other sources may disagree on this, just as you and I do.

Many authors of usage guides, editors, teachers, and others feel strongly that such “absolute” words as complete, equal, perfect, and especially unique cannot be compared because of their “meaning”: a word that denotes an absolute condition cannot be described as denoting more or less than that absolute condition. However, all such words have undergone semantic development and are used in a number of senses, some of which can be compared by words like more, very, most, absolutely, somewhat,and totally and some of which cannot.

[I apologize for the formatting, but I can't seem to make it work.]





"

1. No need to apologize for the formatting. It obviously wasn't yours.

2. I changed my original post to read "makes no sense to me", and I should have added the "to me" in my original post.

3. I actually love slang and popular usage, but there are examples which enrich the language and those which obscure meaning, and IMO modifying "unique" achieves only the latter. (I already referred to the popular usage of "more" and "less pregnant"; to me, that's an example where the modifiers actually provide additional information.)

4. By any technical measure, EVERY show is unique--even revivals. Hell, every performance of every live show is unique, supposedly, and that's supposed to be the "wonder" of live performance. (I'm somewhat skeptical in this age of computerized sets, lights and sound, but, sure, in the strict sense of the word, every performance is different from every other one.)

So asking which show is "most unique" is like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

But my actual point was merely to render surprise that somebody hadn't already taken the OP to task for the misuse. In bygone years, such a first post would have ended in a bloodbath!

GavestonPS said: "kdogg36 said: "GavestonPS said: "^^^^ Citation please? Your personal "instinct" makes no sense whatsoever."

It doesn't make sense to me to say that a native speaker's judgment doesn't make sense. These kinds of judgments are the data that various authorities use to make their rules. Our intuitions disagree on this because we have two slightly different grammars in our heads. Neither one of us is right or wrong; we just speak slightly different versions of English.

To me, it's perfectly natural to say that, while every species of bird is unique, the dodo was especially unique. I'm sure you don't like hearing the word used that way. No harm, no foul, just a disagreement.

Below you'll find the usage note at dictionary.com (which is a version of the Random House dictionary). Other sources may disagree on this, just as you and I do.

Many authors of usage guides, editors, teachers, and others feel strongly that such “absolute” words as complete, equal, perfect, and especially unique cannot be compared because of their “meaning”: a word that denotes an absolute condition cannot be described as denoting more or less than that absolute condition. However, all such words have undergone semantic development and are used in a number of senses, some of which can be compared by words like more, very, most, absolutely, somewhat,and totally and some of which cannot.

[I apologize for the formatting, but I can't seem to make it work.]





"

1. No need to apologize for the formatting. It obviously wasn't yours.

2. I changed my original post to read "makes no sense to me", and I should have added the "to me" in my original post.

3. I actually love slang and popular usage, but there are examples which enrich the language and those which obscure meaning, and IMO modifying "unique" achieves only the latter. (I already referred to the popular usage of "more" and "less pregnant"; to me, that's an example where the modifiers actually provide additional information.)

4. By any technical measure, EVERY show is unique--even revivals. Hell, every performance of every live show is unique, supposedly, and that's supposed to be the "wonder" of live performance. (I'm somewhat skeptical in this age of computerized sets, lights and sound, but, sure, in the strict sense of the word, every performance is different from every other one.)

So asking which show is "most unique" is like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

But my actual point was merely to render surprise that somebody hadn't already taken the OP to task for the misuse. In bygone years, such a first post would have ended in a bloodbath!



"

First off, I'm a junior in high school. Not an English professor. So, there's that. Anyway, I'm sorry if this post got to you. I actually saw this question somewhere else (phrased exactly the same) and found the answers rather interesting so I decided to ask on here too. I don't feel like changing it because I feel like every time someone posts on here, they get ridiculed for something no matter how small. You get what I was asking. I just wanna know. What show is mostest uniquest? I think Great Comet! What about y'all?