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.