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Straight from its inspiring live performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall this past April, RadicalMedia’s filmed presentation of the immersive living space documentary, “We Chose to Go to the Moon,” is finally available for the rest of us to watch.
“We Chose to Go to the Moon” premieres Nov. 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS app, and we’ve got an exclusive clip to share featuring Mark and Kali Armstrong singing “Flight of Fancy.”
With a poignant introduction by Oscar winning director Ron Howard (“Apollo 13”), “We Chose to Go to the Moon” recalls the extraordinary saga of the global space race and Apollo moon landings by actors portraying pivotal persons who made it all happen.
These roles include astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Ed White, Mission Control trailblazer Poppy Northcutt, “Hidden Figures” mathematician Katherine Johnson and members of the spacefaring families that remained on Earth, including Janet Armstrong and Betty Grissom.
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This dynamic multimedia production is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (“Chess”), combining a unique fusion of theater, concert and documentary storytelling using rare archival footage alongside historic flags and artifacts taken to the Moon and returned home. It also revisits the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission and adds a special tribute to moonwalker Neil Armstrong performed by his son Mark and granddaughter Kali.
“We Chose to Go to the Moon” is created, written and narrated by historian John Monsky and stars Ian Weinberger (“Hamilton”), Skylar Astin (“Pitch Perfect”), Brent Comer (“The Outsiders”), Claybourne Elder (“Company”), Elizabeth Gillies (Netflix’s “Dynasty”), Taylor Louderman (“Mean Girls”) and Joy Woods (“Galileo”). Finally, Ian Weinberger (“Chess,” “Hamilton”) pulls it all together by conducting Broadway vocalists and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in a selection of popular period music showcasing songs such as “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Rocket Man,” “Space Oddity” and “Sound of Silence.”
We hope space fans around the world tune in to experience this sensational stage show that honors America’s human spaceflight history!