Story of My Life

For the homeless, life on the streets can be pretty dramatic. But across Europe, drama is increasingly being used as a way to help homeless people make their way back to confidence and self-esteem, and even a small income. Projects in which the homeless serve as both actors and audience are reaching vulnerable people where they live, both physically and emotionally.

"Acting is one of the most powerful resocialization therapies," says Miroslav Drabek, a theater director who founded the Jezek & Cizek troupe in Prague two years ago. "It forces people to reassess their lives. It helps them...