// check whether the browser can handle rollover 
   // images and if the images have been pre-cached yet. 
   if (document.images) {

      // Create an empty image object for 
      // each of the mouseover graphics. 
      audition_off     = new Image(); 
      audition_on      = new Image(); 
      calendar_off     = new Image(); 
      calendar_on      = new Image(); 
      contactus_off    = new Image(); 
      contactus_on     = new Image(); 
      directions_off   = new Image(); 
      directions_on    = new Image(); 
      getinvolved_off  = new Image(); 
      getinvolved_on   = new Image(); 
      history_off      = new Image(); 
      history_on       = new Image(); 
      home_off         = new Image(); 
      home_on          = new Image(); 
      newsnotes_off    = new Image(); 
      newsnotes_on     = new Image(); 
      playwrights_off  = new Image(); 
      playwrights_on   = new Image(); 
      reservations_off = new Image(); 
      reservations_on  = new Image(); 
      season_off       = new Image(); 
      season_on        = new Image(); 
      whoweare_off     = new Image(); 
      whoweare_on      = new Image(); 
      button_reservation_off = new Image(); 
      button_reservation_on  = new Image(); 
      button_newsnotes_off   = new Image(); 
      button_newsnotes_on    = new Image(); 

      // Assign a source to each empty image object.
      // The images will be preloaded into the cache.
      audition_off.src     = "images/shared/nav/audition_off.gif";
      audition_on.src      = "images/shared/nav/audition_on.gif";
      calendar_off.src     = "images/shared/nav/calendar_off.gif";
      calendar_on.src      = "images/shared/nav/calendar_on.gif";
      contactus_off.src    = "images/shared/nav/contactus_off.gif";
      contactus_on.src     = "images/shared/nav/contactus_on.gif";
      directions_off.src   = "images/shared/nav/directions_off.gif";
      directions_on.src    = "images/shared/nav/directions_on.gif";
      getinvolved_off.src  = "images/shared/nav/getinvolved_off.gif";
      getinvolved_on.src   = "images/shared/nav/getinvolved_on.gif";
      history_off.src      = "images/shared/nav/history_off.gif";
      history_on.src       = "images/shared/nav/history_on.gif";
      home_off.src         = "images/shared/nav/home_off.gif";
      home_on.src          = "images/shared/nav/home_on.gif";
      newsnotes_off.src    = "images/shared/nav/newsnotes_off.gif";
      newsnotes_on.src     = "images/shared/nav/newsnotes_on.gif";
      playwrights_off.src  = "images/shared/nav/playwrights_off.gif";
      playwrights_on.src   = "images/shared/nav/playwrights_on.gif";
      reservations_off.src = "images/shared/nav/reservations_off.gif";
      reservations_on.src  = "images/shared/nav/reservations_on.gif";
      season_off.src       = "images/shared/nav/season_off.gif";
      season_on.src        = "images/shared/nav/season_on.gif";
      whoweare_off.src     = "images/shared/nav/whoweare_off.gif";
      whoweare_on.src      = "images/shared/nav/whoweare_on.gif";
      button_reservation_off.src = "images/home/button_reservation_off.gif"; 
      button_reservation_on.src  = "images/home/button_reservation_on.gif"; 
      button_newsnotes_off.src   = "images/home/button_newsnotes_off.gif"; 
      button_newsnotes_on.src    = "images/home/button_newsnotes_on.gif"; 

   } // end-if statement