Your favorite anti-hero characters from musicals — Page 2

The concept goes all the way back to ancient Greece, when theatrical structure was more clearly defined. The hero or anti-hero is usually the protagonist (aka, main character).

But I don't believe there has to be a hero in a given story. Certainly not in our modern musical theatre. There doesn't necessarily have to be a single protagonist either (if it has a balanced "ensemble piece" storyline).

The musical "Sweeney Todd" has no heroes, unless you count the peripheral characters of Anthony and Johanna. And they are faintly heroic at best. Sweeney himself is the anti-hero as well as the protagonist of the story, but he's not the villain by any means. Look to Judge Turpin and the Beadle for that.

And, yes, anti-heroes can just as easily be female. How about Roxie Hart?

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Updated On: 10/13/05 at 09:32 PM

See, for me, Sally, there's a difference here...

Finch, Sweeney & Billy Flynn are principle characters who are not heroic in nature. I would call them anti-heroes for sure.

But the Childcatcher and Captain Hook are actually villains. Not the main character or focal point of their stories, and they serve as enemies of the "hero."

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Sweeney, definitely.

Okay, the dictionary definition of an antihero characterized by a lack of traditional heroic qualities, such as idealism or courage."

An antihero is NOT the villain of a piece. Basically, they're a main character that acts in a manner not befitting a hero but whose side the audience is on anyway. There doesn't need to be a hero to foil an antihero, because they're often the protagonist. I would argue that Javert isn't an antihero and is instead simply a very layered, complex antagonist. Despite the fact that he is a very well-drawn character that is designed for the audience to pity, the audience is not on his side--they're on Valjean's. There's a difference between villains and antiheros, even though it can be blurry.

The "Emcee" in "Cabaret" - Forever!

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"I would argue that Javert isn't an antihero and is instead simply a very layered, complex antagonist. Despite the fact that he is a very well-drawn character that is designed for the audience to pity, the audience is not on his side--they're on Valjean's. There's a difference between villains and antiheros, even though it can be blurry."

But as a sympathetic antagonist, doesn't that make Javert an anti-hero in the same way an unsympathetic progtagonist is an anti-hero?

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Billy Flynn - CHICAGO

And a couple of not-so-obviously-anti-heros:

Phantom - THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Norma Desmond - SUNSET BOULEVARD

Kate from Lippa's 'Wild Party'.

Does Cinderella's Prince count? Either way, Sweeney is the ultimate musical anti-hero.

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I'll list mine, including some villians.

Miss Andrew- Mary Poppins
Count Fosco- The Woman in White
Javert- Les Miserables
George- Sunday in the Park with George
Blanche Ingram- Jane Eyre (No, haven't seen the show, just have the CD.)
Franca- Light in the Piazza (Well, remember "The Joy you Feel" and what she did with Fabrizio?)
That's all I can think of.

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Family. It's all you really have.
-Sunday in the Park with George

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Updated On: 10/14/05 at 07:04 PM

Thenardier. Now there's a villianous couple for you.

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I really love most that are listed before, but i have to add specifically the Baroness in Chitty... it may just be because Jan Maxwell is amazing but I simply love this character!

Not my favorites, but out of curiosity, would Jekyll/Hyde be considered as one entity as the anti-hero or as two entities and therefore the hero and villain?

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