Several years ago, I directed a community theater production of The Wizard of Oz.  During the weeks of rehearsals, I directed from the seats where the audience would eventually sit.  When the performances actually started, I watched from the back of the room behind the audience.  Only this time, I wasn’t watching the action on stage.  I was watching the audience’s reactions.

One night, during intermission, I was back stage with the cast and several were commenting that it was a “dead” crowd.  They weren’t laughing or applauding very …