How are ideas perceived? Especially those in modern music? Audiences want to understand the sounds they hear but are sometimes not familiar enough with modern constructions to do so. The original version of this satire was pure music, but family, friends, and other musicians could not well imagine the plot – even when they knew that the trumpet was the Boss, the horn was Management, and the trombone the Worker. The score included notes on what was happening to help the musicians tell the story. My first solution was to project a slideshow that told the story with text with the music. Later, at one of our Central Florida Composers Forum meetings, I asked fellow member Benoit Glazer if he thought it possible to find mimes to take the story to its ultimate expression with live acting. He explored the possibility with co-workers at Cirque du Soleil La Nouba here in Orlando – who agreed to take part! Professional Mimes could tell the story magnificently in time with the music. In Vaudeville of the early 20th c, music was written to support the action. For “When Leaders Stop Listening,” the actors also support the music. The question was: Would the visuals take over the musical experience? What would be remembered – the visuals or the sounds?