A Conversation With Historian John Monsky About the PBS Production "We Chose to Go to the Moon"

Historian and narrator John Monsky joins the show to discuss "We Chose to Go to the Moon," a PBS production filmed on stage at Carnegie Hall that traces the full history of America's race to the moon. The conversation covers how close each Apollo landing really was, the cultural and technological legacy of the missions, and archival and musical elements used in the production.

■ Apollo Missions and Their Legacy
- How narrowly the six moon landings succeeded
- The influence of the Apollo era on American ambition and innovation
- The connection between the Apollo missions and current efforts to return to the moon

■ The Production Itself
- A live moon rock shown during the interview
- The Apollo 17 flag and a personal childhood memory of witnessing the launch
- Period music, including "Space Oddity," paired with rare NASA archival footage of Ed White's spacewalk
- Performances by six Broadway actors and the Carnegie Hall setting

■ Broadcast and Availability
- The production's opening moment and how it is structured
- Where to watch it: PBS.org or the PBS streaming app

Space history enthusiasts, fans of documentary theater, and viewers interested in the Apollo program will find a clear overview of what the production covers and how it presents the material. The interview gives enough context to decide whether to watch the full production on PBS.