Spanning a century of love, loss, and legacy, A Century of Sparrows follows six Ojibwe matriarchs—grandmothers, mothers, and daughters—bound by blood and spirit. As they navigate the echoes of Indian Boarding Schools, forced adoptions, infertility, and fractured family ties, these women bear witness to each other across time. The play reveals how trauma, resilience, and memory travel through generations—not just downward, but upward, in a circle unbroken. A Century of Sparrows is told non-linearly to ask: Can the past ever be healed through the future? And what does it mean to mother a lineage that mothers you in return? 

Loosely inspired by real testimonies of Native women.

For our 31st Festival of New Plays, Native Voices is honored to share the works and voices of two Chicago playwrights, each bringing a unique perspective to the stage: Pigeon/Thunderbird by Dillon Chitto (Mississippi Choctaw, Laguna, and Isleta Pueblo) and  A Century of Sparrows by Sierra Rosetta (Lac Courte Oreilles Chippewa Nation). 

As many are aware, Native Voices selects plays that resonate with our current social climate and the issues affecting Indian Country. And in true serendipitous fashion, there is always a common theme we do not fully recognize until after the plays are selected. While both plays are by Chicago playwrights and reference birds, we promise that is not their only connection; both works delve deeply into what a family is.  

Are we born into our family, or do we choose them? What cycles do we inherit from them? And what cycles can we break? As we all know too well, no words can cut deeper or deeply comfort like those spoken by "family." So join us as we experience all the joy, anger, laughter, provide. These plays are not just about the characters on stage but about all of us, and the many types of families we are a part of.