“There is a special providence in the fall of a Sparrow. If it be now, ‘tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now...yet it will come—the readiness is all.” -Hamlet

At its core, this play is about Ojibwe grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. 6 Ojibwe “Sparrow” women navigate a century of intergenerational ties that are broken and reconnected throughout time. Throughout the century, the Sparrow women watch themselves, their daughters, and granddaughters cope with Indian Boarding Schools, forced adoption, infertility, and other traumatic events loosely based on real testimonies of Native women. These matriarchs watch as their descendants grow into women that they can’t imagine living without, women they don’t understand, and women that are mirrors of themselves. This play grapples with the idea of generational trauma being passed down and up. In the circle of life, the 6 women feel the pain of their descendants as well as their ancestors.

CHARACTERS (3)

GRANDMOTHER: 70s/80s Native Woman

MOTHER: 40s/50s Native Woman

DAUGHTER: 20s Native Woman

These women play…

ASHAWEIA SPARROW

The grandma everyone deserves. The mother who will lie to you for your own good. The daughter who never took “no” for an answer.

WINONA SPARROW

The grandma you can’t tell people about. The mother who embarasses you. The daughter who always believes in you.

MEG SPARROW

The grandma no one can figure out. The mother you found. The daughter who learned how to grieve too young.

LOUISE SPARROW

The grandma who always said what was on her mind. The mother who never said what you needed to hear. The daughter you lost.

MARIE SPARROW

The mother you hate. The daughter you don’t know how to love.

ROSE SPARROW

The mother who can’t bear not to be one. The daughter you regret.

Note on characters/actors: there are six characters, but only three actors. The three Native actresses transition characters as the play goes on. There should be three actors whose ages range somewhere around 20s, 40s/50s, 70s/80s. There is a grandmother, mother, and daughter in each scene. Explanation will be provided whenever there is a jump in time/transition in character.

SCENE

Wisconsin/Minnesota

TIME

1934-2034