Biripi, Wiradjuri, Gamilaroi and Yuin actor Bee Cruse starred in the Boorloo opening night of August: Osage County on Sunday evening in the role of Johnna Monevata.
Eamon Flack directs the production of Tracy Letts' acclaimed tragicomedy, which follows a family grappling with the loss of its troubled patriarch.
Ms Cruse shines in her portrayal of the Cheyenne housekeeper who brings a calm, direct dignity to an increasingly chaotic situation.
The actor, who also has Native American and Chinese heritage, told Style Up it was a privilege to play "strong Cheyenne woman" Johnna, who takes on the job of housekeeper for an ageing couple, both struggling with addictions, in order to support her own family.
"I'm nervous, but I'm buzzing, I'm excited, but I'm tired and wired. It's there's a whole array of emotions going on," she said after the cast and crew received a standing ovation at the end of the opening night performance.
"My first time in Perth, and I've been very, very blessed to be here and welcomed to Country here, and introduced to the river and the lands and a lot of mob.
"I'm feeling very privileged, feeling very proud of myself. This is actually my first production. We did a production in Sydney with Belvoir theatre - that was my first on stage acting job, and this is now my second so I'm still fairly new to theatre, but I think I've caught the bug, so hopefully you'll see me in a few more live productions."
Ms Cruse, whose career began to take off after a role in Rachel Perkins's Redfern Now, was offered the role of Johnna by Mr Flack directly.
She impressed in the role, bringing a quiet strength to a stage consumed by a loudly unraveling family.
Presented by Black Swan State Theatre Company and Belvoir St Theatre, the Boorloo production is superbly directed and blessed by consistently strong performances by the entire cast.
The play is tragic, caustic, funny and troubling, with the family's old and new wounds laid bare.
Beverly Weston, a famed but fading and irretrievably alcoholic poet hires Johnna to help keep functioning the home he shares with his opiate-addicted wife Violet, who has "a touch of cancer".
When Beverly vanishes, their three daughters return home and truths begin to boil to the surface.
Pamela Rabe's incendiary performance as Violet leads a stellar cast in the production, which will run until March 16 at Heath Ledger Theatre in Northbridge.