1. Mama Rose (Gypsy); no contest, really
2. Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd)
3. Nellie Forbush (South Pacific)
4. Sally Bowles (Cabaret)
5. Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady)
Roninjoey, I'm not sure if you're kidding, honestly. I mean, you can have your opinions on Wicked (and I'll try not to go into an anti-Wicked rant), but saying Elphaba is near the watermark of Mama Rose, let alone better, is like saying that Captn. Jack Sparrow is a better character than Michael Corleone. It's not too bad, especially next to most other recent shows, but it's really not even close.
"Who is Stephen Sondheim?" -roninjoey
"The man who wishes he had written Phantom of the Opera!" - SueleenGay
GO CARDINALS!!!