Your Favorite Musical Villains — Page 3

I'm with you, Enjolras77! I'm partial to Fagin and Bill Sykes, too. I'm also fond of Mordred and Mrs. Lovett.

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Count Fosco in THE WOMAN IN WHITE --

Just listen to his YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING and you get the gist

Sweeney, Javert, and Phantom. Not that they are purely villians per say, but that's why they're may favorites. They're just misunderstood...that's all! LOL! :)

~Rosalynn

Miss Baltimore Crabs- Hairspray
You'll See-Rent

"Mrs. Lovett is stupid? She has the best vocabulary of anybody in the show. I always thought she was smarter than she was letting on. "
Thank you. I always feel like Angela's interpretation is always highly regarded as well played but never recognized for her dark undertones! Her performance is so layered and the impression her character gives off to me is a truly dark side, always a step ahead while not seeming the brightest.
Definitely good Aurora and Mr. Cladwell choices, I love their songs.
However, I feel the word "villian" in terms of musicals is a very strong word. Very rarely is there a character with pure evil in their every intent. Even Mrs. Lovett, however perceived I find to be acting selfish and yes villianous, but the Judge is purely evil. However, I can even see an argument made for him, but for the sake of the story he would be the villian. Same goes for Javert, widely regarded as the villian, yet how can you not have some pity for somebody born in a jail with a hard life, yet mostly good morals, although lacking compassion makes up for in protecting justice and it's ideals. Now Thenardier, theres a villian...

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Just because someone is the villain of the story doesn't mean he's evil!!

Javert - Les Miserables
Chauvelin - The Scarlet Pimpernel
Mae Peterson - Bye Bye Birdie
Queen Aggravain - Once Upon a Mattress
Childcatcher - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Benny - Rent

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I remember starting a thread a while ago asking the question is Mrs Lovett the real villian/evil one in Sweeney. I still think so. Not to say Sweeney and the Judge where not wicked characters themselves, but most villians tend to be smart, that is what makes them interesting to watch. The judge was too much of a stereotype (sort of a witches cackle while twirling his mustache). Mrs Lovett on the other hand was smart, manipulative in both emotional and sexual ways.

Anyhoo. I don't think The Witch from ITW is a villian. In fact she was the barometer of the show showing how the rest of the characters took a turn to the dark side in the second act. ITW was written to turn those old fairytale stereotypes on their heads. If ITW was to have a real villian, it would be the gang mentality of the so called 'good guys'. Oh The Witch wasn't innocent either, but she wasn't any villian.

Oh, sorry to the Original Poster for going way off Topic.

Ideas that havn't been suggested yet...

"And Eve Was Weak" from "Carrie". Margaret White as the villian completely destroying Carrie White.

"King Herod's Song" from "Jesus Christ Superstar"

"My Way or the Highway" from "The Life"

"Everybodies Got the Right" from "Assassins"

Maybe for something obscure - "One Last Drop" from "Eating Raoul".

Okay I gotta admit they are all pretty weak thoughts. Just trying to though suggest something different. Yes, none of them are out right heroine tied to the railway tracks while the villian twirls his mustache type villianous songs but... eh. This is an extremely interesting question asked though.

Urban - just for clarification, its "one last bop" from EATING RAOUL. And it isn't a weak suggestion at all. That is a fantastic song. I totally forgot about it. I wonder if you can find the sheet music to it?

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mrs. meers
javert

I've noticed a lot of people have mentioned Javert. If I would pick a villain from Les Mis it would definately be the Thenardiers. Master of the House would be a good song to do.

Captain Hook has some good "evil" songs about killing little boys, too. It doesn't get much more evil than that. Haha. Good luck with the show!

The bad idea bears.
Meersy

Updated On: 3/28/06 at 01:07 PM

Mrs. Meers, Mr. Schwarzandgrubbenierre, Orin, and Madame Morrible top my list. :)

Broadwaybound, Benny most certainly *is* the villain of RENT. Just because he's a rounded, well-written character who shows a bit of heart doesn't mean he isn't the antagonist of the story. He's the landlord threatening eviction if rent isn't payed! The only other villain in RENT is the AIDS virus, and that's not a character.
Besides, while Benny tries to help Mimi at the end, he also cheats on Alison with Mimi, illustrating his lack of true morality. He threatens to evict his friends, only offering them a reprieve if they stop Maureen's protest, which will be an embarrassment to Benny in front of Mr. Gray. Benny is evil without being inhuman.

And to all those who say Thenardier is the true villain of Les Miserables: while he is a villainous character, Javert is the villain to Valjean's "hero." Javert is in direct opposition to Valjean, the protagonist. And while he is following the law, it still holds true that he is the force working against our story's hero, thereby making him the story's villain.
Besides, he shows his lack of morality during the battle: he tries to sabotage the rebellion! "They intend to starve us out before they start a proper fight - concentrate their force: hit us from the right." Gavroche proves he is lying, that he is a spy from the other side. He even says, "I will join these people's heros, I will follow where they go, I will learn their little secrets, I will know the things they know," that he will "nip it in the bud" and refers to the rebels as "schoolboys" who will "wet themselves with blood." He most certainly is a villainous character!

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