Musician Jim Avett, the father of two members of the folk rock group the Avett Brothers, once talked about how he and “his boys” loved to perform in New York City because of the attentive audience. He went on about what a pleasure it was to play to people who really listened to music, who showed their appreciation for the ones doing the playing and how such audiences were getting harder and harder to find.

The live performances of which he spoke are entrenched in the culture of places where performers are plenty. Move to smaller towns, it follows there are less performers, less venues and less people with access to live music and theater. Naturally, there’s less opportunity to learn how to be a good audience member.

Tonight, the second and final performance of the musical “Annie” will take place at the Washington High School Performing Arts Center. Students, teachers and volunteers have worked behind the scenes to put on a great show, just as others have worked behind the scenes to enable every kindergartner through eighth-grader in the Beaufort County school system an opportunity to see the play, for free (accompanied by a paying adult). The strategy is no doubt to fill seats — it’s always more fun to play to a full house — but it’s also to expose the county’s youth to live performance and perhaps instill in them a lifelong appreciation for performing arts. It gives them an opportunity to learn how to be a good audience, which means focusing and listening.

We can always use a refresher course on how to be a good audience, and 7 p.m. tonight might be an ideal time to do so.

Tickets are $10 a person at the door.