As a Black Muslim Woman, creator Fatuma Adar is on a mission to free you from the clutches of exceptionalism and teach you how to relish in the joys of mediocrity.

Adar has been busy creating for some time now. Her project, Dixon Road is currently in development with Musical Stage. The musical follows the journey of a Somali family that immigrated to Canada in 1991 as a civil war begins to tear through their homeland, forcing many to flee and eventually settle in Dixon Road, near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

She has also written some great songs. Have you heard The Nap Anthem? It has become a favourite of mine and many others. If you have are new to her work, I highly recommend you look her up on her website and Instagram.

Adar was kind enough to speak with me about her latest creation which will premiere later this month at the Next Stage Theatre Festival – the festival is organized by Toronto Fringe. She’s Not Special combines musical theatre and comedic storytelling to explore the pressures of Black Excellence. The show is co-directed by Adar (Playback’s Artist to Watch) and Graham Isador (The Beaverton, VICE).

The show was set to premiere in person at the Next Stage Theatre Festival this January. Because of COVID all the festival shows will premiere digitally instead. You can find out more about all shows and their digital premiere here.

Now, I invite you to sit back and listen to my conversation with Adar. She speaks about her start in the arts, her creative process, She’s Not Special, and more.