Founder & Executive Director, Soul of Dialogue Theater Company

Dr. Moriah Shiddat is a playwright, storyteller, and community-rooted scholar whose work explores the places where history, memory, and human connection meet. Originally from Lansing, Michigan, she writes from the lived experiences of families, the complexity of inheritance, and the quiet resilience found in everyday lives. Her creative work centers the stories often carried in silence—stories shaped by place, legacy, and the longing to heal what has been passed down.

Moriah holds a Ph.D. in African Studies from Howard University, an M.A. in International Relations from Ohio University, and a B.A. in International Studies, with research grounded in history, economics, and community development. Her academic path includes field research in Uganda examining the impact of extended COVID-19 school closures on children in rural communities. This work deepened her belief that storytelling is not only an artistic practice but also a form of listening, witnessing, and communal care.

She has studied acting at Michigan State University and furthered her training in playwriting and performance at The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts in Washington, D.C. Her plays—Between the Space of Things, Zula, Broadway is Burning, The Hart of the Matter, and others—reflect her interest in intergenerational relationships, heirs property, migration, and the emotional weight people carry across time.

Soul of Dialogue Theater Company is an extension of this commitment: a space where artists and communities can gather to engage in meaningful storytelling and thoughtful dialogue. Through ensemble development, new works, and community-centered programming, Moriah aims to cultivate an environment where creativity leads to connection, and where story becomes a pathway to understanding and change.