Live theater tends to be more thrilling than film, largely due to the heightened odds of seeing someone flub a line or deliver a stirring monologue while sitting in your lap. Vicariously live the freewheeling thespian life with today’s Groupon: for $60, you get two tickets to Take Me America, a new musical production at Village Theatre in Issaquah. The show runs in Issaquah September 14–October 23, with performances at the following times:

• Wednesday–Saturday at 8 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
• Sunday at 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 11 and Tuesday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Based on the documentary A Well-Founded Fear and true stories from real-life refugees, Take Me America examines the plight of refugees seeking asylum in America through the lens of musical theater. Audiences sway to melodies by Bob Christianson and lyrics by Bill Nabel as seven refugees from China, Sudan, Haiti, and other countries realize their destinies depend on the actions of three American agents. Projections immerse viewers into the story with globetrotting visuals, propelling them across national boundaries without the hassle of bringing their theater snacks through customs.

Praised by Seattle Magazine as “a nationally renowned incubator of powerhouse productions,” Village Theatre has invigorated innervated eardrums with Tony Award–winning original and classic musicals since 1979. Patrons can keep one eye on the stage while the other two peruse the lobby’s snack bar for coffee, juice, and light eats. The Francis J. Gaudette Theatre’s elegant 500-seat arrangement ensures audiences capture every performer’s figurative leg-breaking and literal fourth-wall redecorating.