JUTE is officially the little theatre that could.

In a gala ceremony at the annual Matilda Awards in Brisbane tonight, playwright Steven Carleton scored a win in the Best New Australian Work category for the JUTE produced play Bastard Territory.

The Matilda Awards celebrate the best in Queensland theatre-making, and in its first ever Matilda nomination the Cairns company was chosen ahead of three other finalists from the south-east corner.

Bastard Territory is described as a "confessional human drama about a man and a city", mixing wry humour, raw insight, a dash of Tennessee Williams and a killer 60s and 70s soundtrack.

Carlton accepted the award on behalf of the company at tonight's ceremony, held at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

JUTE's marketing manager Peta Cooke told TropicNow the award win endorses the Cairns company as an "important player in the national theatre scene".

"This is a very proud moment for Cairns and the company...Bastard Territory is a beautiful piece of writing by Stephen Carlton and JUTE is very proud to have brought it to life," she said.

"Winning Best New Australian Work here in Brisbane tonight shows that Cairns and JUTE are punching well above our weight and recognises the tremendous effort of our cast and crew during last year’s touring season of this work in Brisbane, Ipswich and Townsville."