The Atlanta-based company, Out of Hand Theater aims to better explain and illustrate Atlanta’s homelessness issues in their newest production, How To Make A Home. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
In 2024, Atlanta saw a 7% increase in its homeless population, reaching approximately 2,867 individuals, including those in shelters and those living unsheltered. This includes 1,827 people in shelters or transitional housing and 1,040 unsheltered individuals, as stated by The Atlanta Mission in their Point-In-Time count.
The Atlanta-based company Out of Hand Theater aims to tackle that problem in their newest production, How To Make A Home.
On Friday, March 7, Out of Hand Theater premiered its latest show, which focuses on the growing homeless problem in Atlanta. The production, the one-man show, is performed by actor Markell Wayne Williams and follows the story of a veteran and single father, Antonio, as he attempts to get his life together to purchase an apartment for himself and his daughter.
Williams played ten characters, including an eager chaplain, an idealistic politician, and a wayward teen.
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“To me, at the center was Antonio and his daughter Anika, and it was trying to figure out who they would be,” said Williams. “Once I figured out their voices, then it was a little easier for me to figure out the rest.”
The twist is that instead of performing on a traditional stage, this show is conducted from the living rooms of local homes, a deliberate artistic choice that aligns with the company’s mission.
“That’s how our Shows in Homes productions work,” said Nikki Young, Associate Artistic Director of Out of Hand Theater. “We bring a new play every year focusing on a pressing social justice issue to houses around Atlanta. This year’s play is about homelessness, so the setting ties in differently, but we always bring theater to the people.”
Unlike traditional productions confined to theaters, each performance takes place in a different living room, which presents unique challenges. Still, the process is a well-oiled machine for Alyssa Brosy, a seasoned stage manager with the company.
“I get a full list of locations before we even start rehearsals,” Brosy explained. “Rehearsal started three weeks ago, but I was hired back in December. This is my third year doing this, so I know the process. We typically receive host information a month or two in advance—who they are, where they live, and what the space looks like. I’ll reach out and let them know, ‘Hey, I’m bringing a whole show to your house—be ready!’.
Hosts work with the production team on furniture and additional seating to ensure the best setup for the audience.
Given the rotating nature of Shows in Homes, Williams must adapt to different performance spaces throughout the production’s run. “It’s gonna be interesting. It’s a mystery,” he admitted.
“The show is about the unhoused, and we’re performing it in homes,” Brosy reflects, “I’m curious to see how the audience responds. People cried in our final dress rehearsal because they connected with the story. This issue—losing housing, struggling to find stability—can happen to anyone,” continued Brosy.
Amina S. McIntyre, the playwright behind How To Make A Home, brings both artistic and personal insight to the production. A seasoned Atlanta-based writer with an MFA in playwriting, McIntyre also teaches at Louisville Seminary, where she trains ministers in empathy and pastoral care.
Homelessness is not just an abstract issue for her.
“Before seminary, my first chaplaincy internship was at Crossroads Community Ministries, followed by volunteering at St. Joseph’s and City of Refuge,” McIntyre shares, “So, when Out of Hand approached me for a commission about homelessness, it was already an issue close to my heart.”
Originally, the show featured 15 characters, but McIntyre had to bring it down to 10.
“It was important to show different experiences—parents, teachers, students—because homelessness affects so many people in different ways,” McIntyre said. “We often think of mothers with children in shelters, but fathers with children face unique struggles. For instance, in many shelters, male children over 16 are considered adults and must stay in adult facilities, separating them from their families. The father-daughter dynamic in the play shows not just survival but the love and imagination required to shield a child from the weight of their circumstances.”
Despite the serious themes, the play also highlights resilience.
“The father and daughter count birds together, make up games—it’s about finding joy in the hardest moments,” McIntyre says. “The daughter ultimately becomes his source of strength, reminding him of the affirmations they repeat to push through.”
At its core, the show is about human dignity.
“I don’t just want audiences to feel empathy—I want them to recognize that they may already know someone who’s struggling with homelessness,” McIntyre said. “These are real people, sitting next to you in a room, working alongside you. If we start viewing them with dignity, we’re more willing to build community with them”.
The production will be performed in over 40 locations across the city. To find a show near you visit https://www.outofhandtheater.com/shows-in-homes-2025 .