19 musical theater protagonists, ranked from nicest to meanest

Ranking musical protagonists, from the nicest to meanest.

1. Jean Valjean, “Les Misérables” — Saves lives, wins wars, raises orphans, unites lovers, steals bread.

2. Charlie Brown, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” — Even on his worst day, he’s only slightly grumpy.

3. Simba, “The Lion King” — Mildly ungrateful and he did cause that wildebeest stampede, but mostly a swell guy/lion.

4. Oliver, “Oliver” — Thieving somewhat mitigated by being able to hit those crystalline high notes?

5. Sky Masterson, “Guys and Dolls” — A gambler and a ladies’ man but his heart’s in the right place.

6. The King, “The King and I” — His main sin is misogyny and the actual guy on whom the character is based was pretty decent.

8. Henry Higgins, “My Fair Lady” — Come for the sexism, stay for the even-worse classism.

9. George, “Sunday in the Park With George” — Now, we might say that he’s on the spectrum, but a guy who can’t look up from his easel to watch his lover and child walk out of his life forever is tough to forgive.

10. Harold Hill, “The Music Man” — Con man who lies to, and intends to rob, an entire Iowa town.

11. Billy Bigelow, “Carousel” — Wife-beater and robber who has to die to figure out how much he sucks.

12. The Beast, “Beauty and the Beast” — Bottom line: Kidnapping is not a romantic gesture.

14. Curly, “Oklahoma” — Maybe it’s self-defense but, no matter what, he’s a killer.

15. Tony, “West Side Story” — Killing his beloved’s brother makes him one of musical theater’s Ten Most Wanted.

16. The Phantom, “The Phantom of the Opera” — Worse things are hinted at but no matter what, he grooms and kidnaps Christine.

17. John Wilkes Booth, “Assassins” — President killer and, possibly, bad actor.

18. Patrick Bateman, “American Psycho” — Yes, he’s a mass murderer. But it’s also possible that all of his behavior is only in his (twisted) head.