Red Stitch Actors' Theatre's production of Romeo and Julie is currently on stage in St Kilda East, directed by award-winning Yagera Butchulla woman Kamarra Bell-Wykes.

Loosely based on Shakespeare's work and penned by renowned Welsh playwright Gary Owen, Romeo and Julie offers a fresh narrative on the well-known characters of classic literature.

Ms Bell-Wykes, who has a wealth of experience in stage productions and is primarily known as a writer, was brought on as director after receiving a call from Red Stitch Theater.

At Red Stitch Theater, alumni and students choose the scripts and stories presented on stage. Although Ms Bell-Wykes was involved in brainstorming during pre-production, she was not part of the script selection or casting process.

"Well, the funny thing was that I wasn't actually part of the script selection either or casting the two leads so Red Stitch is an actors' theatre," she said.

"...So I just lent into the unknown and used that opportunity to work with people that I didn't know with a script that I hadn't chosen.

"I didn't come in with my own bias and opinions about it…I just had to discover the work and figure out what it was."

In the play Romeo is a dedicated single father and Julie, a young woman who is determined to pursue her dream of studying physics at university, despite their different upbringings.

As Ms Bell-Wykes delved into the story, she found herself relating to the characters more than she anticipated.

"Funnily enough because I have been a single mum since I was 19, I related way more to the play than I expected too, in fact I can kind relate to all the characters in some ways," she said.

"I feel like I have been each of them at some point in time, like a disapproving parent, then maybe sometimes an imperfect single mum…

"...and also the issue in that class, the working class and the play is kind of about the way society traps people and takes away their options so there was a lot in the works there that I related to."

Ms Bell-Wykes admitted the project is quite different from her usual work as she is mostly used to dramatic, absurd and experimental things, while Romeo and Julie is more of a naturalistic comedy drama.

"I like to make work that I would like to see..and using theatre I like to create magic and do stuff that doesn't happen in real life," she said.

"...But the beautiful challenge of this work has been that it's not like that, it's very natural, very true to life and actually finding the magic in the everyday.

"...You kind of have to find the emotional drama and the action is the drama, because not much actually happens in the work in terms of action…so it is a bit different."

Ms Bell-Wykes, with more than two decades of experience in the theatre industry, gained her knowledge through hands-on experience without any formal training.

She emphasised the importance of understanding one's own creative process for First Nations creatives aspiring to enter the industry.

"We are artists because we love it and because we love creating and collaborating, if you are chasing overnight success, and some people get that, but that's not necessarily what it's all about," she said.

"Diversifying your practice and supporting other people work as well making your own is really good and just learn from people that you respect and are generous with their time and energy and learn from them.

"That's what I did. I learnt from the best on the job and I just soaked up every bit of it."

Romeo and Julie shows at the Red Stitch Actors' Theatre in St Kilda East until Sunday 18 August. Tickets are available online.