I’m Michelle Callaghan, a first-year graduate student at Villanova University. This is our column, “‘Cat in the Stacks.” I’m the ‘cat. Falvey Memorial Library is the stacks. I’ll be posting about living that scholarly life, from research to study habits to embracing your inner-geek, and how the library community might aid you in all of it.

In honor of the upcoming Easter and Passover holidays, why not indulge in some showtunes to set the tone? I’d like to. I have very vivid memories of “Prepare Ye” from Godspell played way too loudly over the intercom calling us down to the grade school Easter assembly in the gym. It’s a good memory and a good song, because Stephen Schwartz is a wicked composer (who, by the way, composed Wicked). But it also reminds me of all the great musical treatments of religious holidays out there!

So check out a performance of selections from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Jesus Christ Superstar at the 2012 Tony Awards.

Catch the new Broadway cast of Godspell performing on The View—and for Orange is the New Black fans, see if you can spot Uzo Aduba, Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, in the cast!

Watch the first number from Dreamworks’ Prince of Egypt, an animated film that tells the story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt, the story of Passover. If you’re interested in representations of Exodus, check out this article from the catalog.

And who can talk about musicals and Passover without this year’s viral parody of “Uptown Funk”?

Whatever it is you’ll be celebrating this weekend, I wish you all a relaxing, peaceful, and hopeful Easter recess.

Article by Michelle Callaghan, graduate assistant on the Communication and Service Promotion team. She is currently pursuing her MA in English at Villanova University.