American History Unbound presents the performance piece, We Chose to Go to the Moon, whhich plays on Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8 at Carnegie Hall, both at 7:30 PM. Directed by Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer, this multimedia presentation is an intersection of historical documentation and symphonic performance, authored by John Monsky, and is part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 Festival.
We Chose to Go to the Moon chronicles the pressures of the 1950s and 1960s in the space race, is a synthesis of theater, documentary film and live orchestral music. The performance features the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, conducted by Ian Weinberger, playing a soundtrack of music from the era, including, “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Rocket Man,” “Space Oddity” and “My Generation.” Vocal performances are by Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect, Spring Awakening), who will portray Neil Armstrong, GRAMMY Award nominee Brent Comer (The Outsiders), Claybourne Elder (Company, “The Gilded Age”), Elizabeth Gillies (Netflix’s “Dynasty”), Tony Award nominee Taylor Louderman (Mean Girls), and GRAMMY and Tony Award-nominee Joy Woods (Gypsy, Six).
Neil Armstrong’s son Mark Armstrong and granddaughter Kali Armstrong will perform a special tribute to the astronaut. We Chose to Go to the Moon will be filmed by Academy Award-producing RadicalMedia – Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) for a national television broadcast this Fall, coinciding with the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary and Veterans Day.
These performances are presented by Carnegie Hall as part of its citywide United in Sound: America at 250 festival.
For more information and tickets, click here.
