The Foul, The Bad and The Wicked: BWW Brings You Our Favorite Villains of Broadway!

For a story to really crackle, it needs opposing forces: the hero and the villain. Broadway gets a rap as the purveyor of sunshine and rainbows, a place where people burst into song and dance on a whim. But where you have light, you also have shadows. And it's that darkness that keeps an audience cheering for the protagonist -- and maybe even occasionally rooting for the bad guy.

Think of INTO THE WOODS, THE LITTLE MERMAID, and ANNIE's witchy ringleaders, MATILDA's one-of-a-kind, shot-putting terror, THE LION KING's power-hungry but cowardly killer, and the thieves and the beggars of LES MIS and OLIVER. The many scoundrels of Broadway come in all guises but often with a similar goal: to come out on top.

With Halloween creeping around the corner, BroadwayWorld profiles some of our favorite infamous evildoers on the Great White Way, from the downright depraved to the sneakily sinister. Check out our list, and let us know your favorite Broadway villain by voting in this week's poll!

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Character: Miss Trunchbull
Show: MATILDA
Claim to Infamy: Throwing little girls by their pigtails, sending school children to the Chokey, and generally being the worst headmistress EVER.

Character: Mrs. Meers
Show: THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Claim to Infamy: Finding girls who are all alone in the world, shipping them to the Orient, and selling them into slavery.

Character: Scar
Show: THE LION KING
Claim to Infamy: Murdering Mufasa, placing the blame on Simba, and turning Pride Rock into a hyena hangout.

Character: The Witch
Show: INTO THE WOODS
Claim to Infamy: Casting a spell of infertility on the Baker's family, generally ruining Rapunzel's life, and causing constant discord in the woods.

Character: Fagin & Bill Sikes
Show: OLIVER!
Claim to Infamy: Masterminding a child buglary ring, holding Oliver hostage, and ultimately clubbing Nancy to death.

Character: Ursula
Show: THE LITTLE MERMAID
Claim to Infamy: Manipulating Ariel into giving up her voice, plotting to overthrow King Triton, and being a total sea b**ch.

Character: Mr. Applegate
Show: DAMN YANKEES
Claim to Infamy: Stealing Joe Boyd's soul, sending Lola to seduce him, and plotting to ensure his eternal damnation.

Character: The Thenardiers
Show: LES MISERABLES
Claim to Infamy: Treating Young Cosette like garbage, terrorizing their tennants, and stealing anyone unlucky enough to cross their path.

Character: Miss Hannigan
Show: ANNIE
Claim to Infamy: Being crual and neglectful to her orphans, drinking on the job, and being an accessory to attempted kidnapping.

Character: Macavity
Show: CATS
Claim to Infamy: Wreaking havoc at the Jellicle Ball, catnapping Old Deutornomy, and continuously escaping punishment.