About the Play

Blending comedy with searing truth, Living in America: The Waiting List is Full unfolds through vignettes, original music, and a touch of variety-show flair. The result is a dynamic exploration of public housing—the struggles that stand between people and a place to call home, and the hope for an equitable system.

The ensemble traces U.S. housing policy from the 1930s to the present—redlining, underfunding, displacement, and encampments—revealing how decades of decisions have shaped today’s housing crisis. Woven throughout are intimate first-hand accounts that make the impact visible: growing up in "the projects," navigating broken case management systems, and finding resilience within communities too often overlooked.

The piece also spotlights international examples of models where housing is treated as a human right, not a market commodity. What would it take for America to center human dignity in its approach to housing?

“We dream of housing that is for people, not profit—grounded in equity and racial justice,” the ensemble declares.

In an era when the word equity has been politicized and cast as controversial, Living in America reclaims its true meaning. By connecting equity to government-funded housing, the production challenges audiences to imagine policies and communities rooted in fairness, dignity, and justice for all.

Creating the Play

zAmya Theater Project uses the power of lived experience and artistic expression to inspire action for housing justice. zAmya’s Creative Expression Sessions, a long-running Hennepin County Library residency at Minneapolis Central, invite people, especially those who’ve experienced housing instability, to learn performance, collaboration, and creative play. 

The original performance of Living in America: The Waiting List is Full in 2024 was developed by an ensemble of 25 zAmya troupe members and participants from Creative Expression Sessions including the artists who bring the work to the stage today. Stories in the production draw directly from participants’ lived experiences with public housing, grounding the play in authentic voices and perspectives. View the 2024 program.

A 2024 New Yorker feature profiled Minneapolis Central Library’s “meet people where they are” model, showing how libraries are becoming frontline social-service hubs for unhoused patrons, and highlighting zAmya’s Creative Expression Sessions as part of this community-centered approach.

Why this Play Matters

Public housing in Minnesota—and across the U.S.—faces a deep crisis. Many homes are unsafe, underfunded, and restrictive, with policies rooted in segregation and racism shaping who has access. Red tape and systemic barriers leave too many without a stable place to live. Yet history shows that when public housing supports community and connection, people thrive. Living in America: The Waiting List is Full explores these challenges while showing that a more humane, equitable housing system is possible.

“The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is planning to ask public housing agencies (PHAs) to report the immigration status of public housing residents and voucher holders within 30 days. If the PHAs don’t—or can’t—comply, HUD has threatened to revoke their federal funding and eligibility. The language of this announcement suggests the directive is part of the federal administration’s efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from public benefits programs—even though this is already the case for HUD assistance and most other benefits.” – Urban Institute

“Public housing is not radical. It’s rational. We know that the market is not the solution to our housing crisis. Public housing done well can protect families from eviction. It can stabilize neighborhoods by reducing turnover. It can reduce homelessness by providing deeply affordable shelter, support health by reducing stress related to fears of displacement, and ensure that care is built into the bones of the city." – Shelterforce

Wanna Talk About Public Housing?

Free Exploratory Workshop

In this 90 minute interactive workshop, participants will use creative prompts to reflect on and reimagine the concept of public housing, the topic explored in zAmya’s production of Living in America: The Waiting List is Full. Through guided exercises and discussion, we'll explore personal, historical, and societal perspectives on public housing and its challenges and potential. This session invites participants of all backgrounds to engage creatively and critically with the spaces we live in, and the policies that shape them.

Mon, Dec. 1, 6pm: Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Reflect on and reimagine the concept of public housing with us!

Interested in booking a workshop with your organization or group? Complete our Booking Request Form.

Attitude of Gratitude

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, including an Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Original performance developed with the support of Hennepin County Library.

Rehearsal and performance photos of the 2024 Shareformance production of Living in America: The Waiting List is Full.