Episode transcript

Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity and readability while staying true to the spirit of the conversation.

Amanda: This is Not Just A… podcast where we get to know the person behind the job title. I’m your host, Amanda, and today we’ll be speaking to Shewit Belay, who is a musical theatre actress. We chat about how she pivoted from being a doctor to performance in musicals, her time starring in Hamilton and currently MJ the Musical, and how she manages performance anxiety, but more importantly, we speak about who she is outside of work. Let’s get into it.

Amanda: Welcome to the podcast, Shewit. Thank you so much for joining us. I’m very excited to chat with you.

Shewit: Hi, Amanda. Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to be here.

Amanda: I’m a huge musical theatre fan. I’ve seen so many shows over the years — Hamilton, MJ the Musical — and I have about 101 questions for you. But let’s start here: who were you and what were you doing before becoming a musical theatre actress?

Shewit: Before working in musical theatre, I was actually working as an intern — like a junior doctor — at a hospital. I’d just finished my first year, the year you need to get your general medical registration.

Amanda: That is very different. Also, you’re extremely talented — a musical theatre actress and a doctor? Meanwhile, I’m wondering what I’ve done with my life!

Shewit: Not true! My things just happen to be public.

Amanda: So how did you make that leap from doctor to musical theatre?

Shewit: It didn’t feel like a leap at the time. I’d been performing and mainly singing for as long as I can remember. Even in medical school, high school, primary school — there was always music in my life. It just felt like the ratio shifted. I was doing more music and less of everything else. I knew I wanted to take time off to pursue music full-time, and when an opportunity opened up, I took it.

Amanda: Amazing. What was your first professional musical?

Shewit: Hamilton.

Amanda: What a show to start with.

Shewit: I know. It felt surreal. Even the audition process felt like a dream. I couldn’t believe I was auditioning for Hamilton. I remember in my third year of medical school, I wrote down “Audition for Hamilton” on a piece of paper. That was in 2017. In 2021, on my way to my first rehearsal where I was learning vocal parts, that exact piece of paper fell out of my folder. I looked at it and thought, “Oh my God — I’m here.”

Amanda: You manifested it!

Shewit: I know. It’s scary but amazing.

Amanda: What part did you play?

Shewit: I was a standby. So I didn’t perform every night — I only went on if the performers I covered were sick or away. I covered the Schuyler sisters: Eliza, Angelica, and Peggy. For a short time, I also covered an ensemble role.

Amanda: Incredible. And did you get to meet Lin-Manuel?

Shewit: I did.

Amanda: What was he like?

Shewit: Exactly how you’d imagine — animated, a bit goofy, very generous. He’d just arrived in Australia and hadn’t slept much, but he was still so warm and inspiring. It was surreal to meet the person who created that piece of art.

Amanda: Phenomenal. Now, you’re doing MJ the Musical, right?

Shewit: Yes. I’m a standby in MJ as well. I cover two roles: Kate — Michael Jackson’s mum — and Rachel, the journalist interviewing him throughout the show.

Amanda: Being a standby must be a lot of work. You have to know multiple parts and sometimes go on last minute?

Shewit: Yes. Often we’re scheduled, so we know a week or two ahead. But people get sick or injured, so sometimes it’s last minute — even mid-show. It hasn’t happened to me here, but it does happen.

Amanda: That must be intense pressure.

Shewit: You learn to embrace it. My medical background actually helps — hospitals are full of uncertainty, and you still have to function sustainably within that.

Amanda: I saw MJ on opening night in Sydney and it was spectacular. You just want to get up and dance! The storytelling is incredible. And it’s in Melbourne now, right?

Shewit: Yes.

Amanda: Are you based in Sydney, or where is home for you?

Shewit: Home is Hobart in Tasmania. That’s where I grew up. My base is still there.

Amanda: How often do you get back?

Shewit: As much as I can. Birthdays, special occasions, or just to see my parents. Now that we’re in Melbourne, it’s closer than Sydney. I haven’t been back in a while though — I need to plan that.

Amanda: Now that we know a bit about you, I want to ask: who are you when nobody’s watching?

Shewit: I’d like to think I’m mostly the same, but people might be surprised to learn I’m much quieter on my own. I’m definitely an introverted extrovert — I can show up when I need to, but I recharge by being alone, reflecting, thinking about my day, being in nature. And I always have music playing.

Amanda: When you have to get on stage, what’s going through your mind? How do you mentally prepare?

Shewit: First: boil the kettle. Make a cup of tea. On weekdays we usually know by about 4 or 5pm whether we’re doing the show. Weekends we find out around 10 or 11am. If I get the call, I’ll already have eaten, then I get to work early, do my makeup, read notes from creatives, warm up vocally — usually in my car so I don’t have to make weird noises on public transport.

We have a full company warm-up. I’m thinking about my voice — where it’s at, what I need to work on, whether I’m hydrated. Water and food are very important.

Amanda: Do you have a pump-up song?

Shewit: Not really a song — more a vibe. I listen to DJ sets on YouTube. It distracts me so I’m not over-analysing. Sometimes I listen to podcasts too — something about people talking is soothing.

Amanda: Do you have a favourite podcast?

Shewit: Besides this one, I love The Imperfects. And Keke Palmer’s podcast.

Amanda: Do you ever get stage fright?

Shewit: Absolutely. But funnily enough, I get less stage fright as a standby than when I had to do the show every night. I think the uncertainty forces me to trust myself rather than rely on routine or muscle memory.

Amanda: That’s so interesting. What’s something you’re passionate about that would surprise people who only know you professionally?

Shewit: Women’s health. I really wanted to be an obstetrician and gynaecologist during medical school. One issue I became very passionate about was FGM — female genital mutilation. The training we received around it was inadequate, despite how present it is, even in Australia. I actually started a research project on education around FGM during my masters degree but had to stop when I booked Hamilton.

Amanda: If you could be known for something completely different from what you’re known for now, would it be that?

Shewit: Yes. That was my goal for a long time. I’ve pivoted for now, but I haven’t let go of it. I think about returning to that work often.

Amanda: If there was one thing people should know about FGM but don’t, what would it be?

Shewit: That it still happens — including in Australia. Not legally, of course, but it happens and can lead to gynaecological emergencies. People think it’s something that happens “somewhere else”, but it’s here too.

Amanda: That’s heartbreaking. And it ties into how women’s pain and symptoms are often dismissed.

Shewit: Exactly. It’s deeply tied to migrant women’s health too.

Amanda: What’s a lesson you’ve learned outside of work that’s made you better at your job?

Shewit: The way I speak to myself internally affects how I speak to and about others. When I’m kinder to myself, I’m more grounded, more present, and more compassionate with everyone else.

Amanda: The internet makes that hard — everything’s a highlight reel.

Shewit: The internet isn’t a real place. It can change your brain wiring — attention span, self-esteem — especially with the rise of AI. I’m really conscious of who I follow and what I consume. I love social media for fun things — like cat memes — but I don’t feel I owe anyone my entire life online.

Amanda: Same. And it must be so hard for young people navigating all that.

Shewit: Even with a supportive home, there are so many external factors. If I’d grown up with social media the way it is now, I don’t know how I would’ve turned out.

Amanda: How do the other sides of yourself show up in your work?

Shewit: In how I relate to characters. I’ve played incredible, strong women, and I was raised by strong women — my mum and older sister. So much of who I am comes from them. I grew up in a family of five, and that shaped how I navigate relationships and spaces.

Amanda: Can you share a story that captures how being fully yourself has made you successful?

Shewit: I think it’s more about intentionality. I grew up often feeling I had to be small — not always because people made me feel that way, but because that’s the experience of being a Black woman in Australia. So I learned to read rooms, to adapt. There’s a level of code-switching required in many spaces. It’s not about being less myself — it’s about knowing when a space is ready for the full version of me. And when it is, I show up fully.

Amanda: Absolutely. Women — especially women of colour — often have to be tactical about how they show up.

Shewit: Yes. It’s a valuable skill, even if it’s unfortunate it has to exist. But it’s made me adaptable and resilient.

Amanda: Going back to theatre — what would people be most surprised to learn about your job?

Shewit: The number of rehearsals. We rehearse at least twice a week — eight hours total — on top of a full week of shows. And the amount of physical and mental preparation required to be show-fit, especially as a standby who has to go from zero to one hundred instantly.

Amanda: How do you become show-fit?

Shewit: Hydration. Eating well. Rest. Maintaining vocal health. And knowing your material inside out.

Amanda: That must take so much discipline. How do you look after yourself on days when you’re not performing?

Shewit: I try to get as much rest as I can. Even if I’m not on, I keep a pretty consistent routine. I steam my voice, drink lots of water, stretch, and keep my body warm. And I try not to talk too much during the day — which is hard because I love talking!

Amanda: Same. I’m a talker. I’d fail immediately in musical theatre.

Shewit: Honestly, vocal rest is one of the hardest parts of the job. You want to call your mum, talk to your friends, have long chats — but sometimes you just can’t.

Amanda: Besides the actual performing, what’s the hardest part of being in a musical?

Shewit: The schedule. Eight shows a week. Your weekends don’t exist. You miss birthdays and weddings and things you wish you could be at. And your body has to be “on” all the time. Eight shows a week is a lot — and that’s for principal or ensemble performers. For standbys, your body has to be ready to go from nothing to full performance instantly.

Amanda: Do you ever get sick and just have to push through?

Shewit: If you’re sick, you don’t go on — it’s not sustainable or safe. But there are days when you’re tired or a bit flat, and you still have to find the energy. That’s when your technique matters.

Amanda: I guess people don’t realise just how much technique and training goes into protecting your voice.

Shewit: Exactly. It’s not just singing. It’s vocal health, breath work, stamina, not straining. If you don’t look after yourself, you can’t do eight shows a week.

Amanda: How long does it take to recover from a big show?

Shewit: For me? A day. But some roles take longer. In Hamilton, Angelica is a belt-heavy role. You come off stage feeling absolutely spent. MJ has very emotional scenes, so mentally you also need space afterwards.

Amanda: After your last show of the week, what’s your ritual?

Shewit: Shower. Food. Bed. I wish it was something glamorous, but honestly — I crash. Maybe a cup of tea if I’m feeling fancy.

Amanda: Let’s talk dreams. What’s your dream role?

Shewit: Definitely Eliza in Hamilton. Or Nala in The Lion King. And honestly, I’d love to originate a role someday — something written for someone who looks like me.

Amanda: Yes! I would love to see that.

Shewit: Representation matters so much. Growing up in Hobart, I didn’t see many people who looked like me on stage. If I can contribute to changing that, I’d be proud.

Amanda: A hundred percent. What’s something people often misunderstand about you?

Shewit: Because I work in performing arts, people assume I’m always “on”, loud or extroverted. But I’m actually very quiet. I enjoy stillness. I love being alone. The stage is my expressive space, but off-stage I recharge by retreating.

Amanda: I love that you honour both sides of yourself.

Shewit: I’ve learned to. And I’ve learned not to force myself into what people expect. You can be a performer and be introverted.

Amanda: People assume performers thrive on attention.

Shewit: Some do. But many of us love the work, not the spotlight.

Amanda: Let’s talk about family. What do they think of your career shift?

Shewit: They’ve been incredibly supportive. My parents always prioritised education, so my medical degree was important culturally. But they also saw how much I loved performing. When Hamilton happened, my mum said, “This is your calling. Go.” That meant everything.

Amanda: That’s beautiful.

Shewit: And my sister has been my biggest cheerleader. She’s the one who pushed me to audition for things I didn’t think I was ready for.

Amanda: We love supportive sisters.

Shewit: Truly.

Amanda: If you could go back and tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Shewit: Don’t make yourself small. You don’t have to shrink to fit. You can take up space. And you don’t need to have everything figured out at once.

Amanda: I think a lot of us needed to hear that at sixteen.

Shewit: Definitely.

Amanda: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Shewit: “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” That’s from a mentor in music. It’s helped me in everything — medicine, performing, life. Consistency beats perfection.

Amanda: Okay, final question. Who are you becoming?

Shewit: I hope I’m becoming someone who is grounded, compassionate, and brave. Someone who makes choices intentionally, not out of fear. Someone who can hold space for others while holding space for herself. And someone who doesn’t shy away from the fullness of who she is.

Amanda: That is a beautiful answer. Shewit, thank you so much for being here.

Shewit: Thank you, Amanda. This was wonderful.

Amanda: Everyone, go see MJ the Musical — it’s electric. And if you see Shewit on stage, know she is absolutely phenomenal. Thank you again for joining us.

Shewit: Thank you.

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