Dahéli’s creative journey for her project, SPADURA, began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown—a period she describes as particularly isolating. This challenging time coincided with her struggles with infertility, creating an intense need to process her emotions and experiences in a meaningful way. For Dahéli, expressing herself through performing, journaling, and making people laugh has always been a therapeutic outlet. However, with the world on pause and her usual ways of coping out of reach, she turned to writing as a means of navigating her IVF journey.

One of Dahéli’s most significant challenges was the emotional weight of shame and guilt. She found herself grappling with the societal and familial expectations of conceiving after marriage. Dahéli recognized that marriage often comes with an underlying assumption of starting a family, or expanding it if a couple already has children. These external pressures compounded her internal struggle, making the journey even more isolating.

As a comedian, Dahéli faced an additional layer of complexity. She realized there weren’t many visible examples of comedians successfully balancing motherhood with their careers. This realization motivated her to pursue motherhood on her own terms, which soon meant navigating the demanding process of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) while continuing her work on stage. The experience was grueling: performing for an audience, awaiting test results, and repeating the cycle night after night.

When the lockdown finally eased, Dahéli took a brave step towards opening up about her journey. She rented a small theater near her home for $20 an hour and invited friends to hear her story. The choice to share was prompted in part by the constant inquiries from friends and family about when she would start a family. By speaking openly about her and her husband’s struggles, she hoped to shed light on the complexities and hardships of their journey.

Dahéli emphasizes that the path to motherhood—or even deciding if motherhood is right for someone—is far from straightforward. In many cases, women only speak about their infertility struggles after achieving pregnancy, but Dahéli was navigating her journey in real-time. Through her performances, she wanted to explore how one can endure losses and setbacks without allowing them to become defeating.

Through SPADURA, Dahéli aims to provide a platform for conversations that are often swept under the rug, including issues such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, endometriosis, hysterectomies, and miscarriages. Her goal is to infuse these discussions with humor to make them more engaging and break the stigma that often surrounds these topics. By doing so, she hopes to help more women feel seen and understood.

Ultimately, Dahéli wants her audience to leave the show feeling uplifted. Her vision for SPADURA extends beyond a single performance; she dreams of turning it into a series that continues to explore the complexities of women’s health and fertility in a way that is both honest and humorous. Through her work, Dahéli hopes to foster a sense of community and solidarity among women, creating a space where their stories are not only shared but celebrated.

Follow Dahéli on Instagram at @daheli.hall and @spadura_show.