Clarifying for both the playgoer and the playmaker the concept of theater as an institution for game-playing, this book analyzes the identifiable urges common to all theatergoers and deals with their immediate emotional experiences. Directing its discussion primarily to playwrights and directors and only secondarily to actors and scenic artists, the volume is divided into five parts: (1) "A State of Playfulness"--the basic strategy of the game of theater and its stakes; (2) "Being Alive"--the excitement caused by change, action, and feeling for which most people attend the theater; (3) "Seeing Clearly"--the illumination brought about by the interrelationship among the various aspects of the play and the effect of its total experience; (4) "Attaining A Goal"--the playgoer's sense of fulfillment at understanding part of life; and (5) "Double Game"--the opportunities and responsibilities involved in presenting plays. A selected bibliography is included. (JM)