Atlantic City playwright gets inspiration from her location

Atlantic City is a unique place. 

It’s a small shore town that also hosts a bevy of national headliners every single weekend. It’s easy to forget that there are local artists doing some spectacular things all year long.

Sure, you’ve been to bars and eateries and enjoyed local cover bands, DJ’s and duets. But when is the last time you visited a local museum, concert or theater?

Part of the excitement about the Prudential presents North to Shore festival is that many locals get to produce shows on the same festival as global stars.

BreakingAC had the opportunity to interview one of those talented local people participating in the festival. Atlantic City resident and experienced playwright Heidi Mae penned the Atlantic City Theatre Company’s original whodunit "Last Hand."

Heidi is an accomplished playwright and director who took the time to talk about writing, collaborating and inspiration.

BreakingAC: What got you interested in writing?

Heidi Mae: I was an avid reader and always wrote for myself. I kept my writings private. Because teachers told me I had bad spelling and grammar.
I happened upon an article that said you could teach yourself to write by choosing a location and writing one page about that same place every day for a year. After one year of writing at the Longport point, I started writing seriously.

BAC: Why plays verses novels, poetry, etc.?

HM: I started writing a short story about something that was bothering me. A few pages into it, I started seeing it on stage in my head, and rewrote it as a play. Since then, most things I write I envision on stage.

BAC: Tell us about the show in the festival?

HM: "Last Hand" is pure entertainment. I had been writing a lot of serious political plays the last few years, and I needed a change.
I love silliness. I love hearing an audience laugh. It was fun to write about Atlantic City and the characters I’ve seen on the Boardwalk.

BAC: What's the most difficult thing about writing a play?

HM: Writing a play comes easily to me now that I have been doing it for a while. Writing a mystery play wasn’t that easy. I kept changing my mind about who the killer was, and then how the murder happened. After I got through the first draft I had to go back and make sure there were clues that lead the audience to the killer and a few red herrings.
When the cast had the first read through, a few guessed the murderer, but no one was sure. Keeping that balance took a lot of rewriting.

BAC: Do you have a routine that you follow when you begin a project?

HM: I try to walk on the Boardwalk a few times a week. Most of what I write starts when I’m daydreaming as I walk on the boardwalk listening to 80s music.

BAC: What makes a good writer?

HM: I wish I knew. Then I’d do it.

BAC: But seriously?

HM: I feel the hardest part is just accepting that as long as you keep writing, good or bad, it’s the fact that you keep writing that counts.

BAC: Do you include real-life events or characters into your work?

HM: There are always Easter eggs, references to private jokes, and names that only one or two people will get in my plays. In the "Last Hand," there is an Easter egg for my brother.
Most of my characters are a combination of people or a great exaggeration of someone I met.

BAC: What artists are inspiration for you?

HM: My friends are my greatest inspiration. Seeing talented people strive to be the best just encourages me to be better. I have some very talented friends.

BAC: Are there any pitfalls to writing about a famous town like Atlantic City?

HM: If I was trying to discuss politics or economics, there might have been. "Last Hand" is a lighthearted comedy. I tried to keep the entire play silly and playful.

BAC: What are some other projects you are working on?

HM: I wrote a play using a character based on my father, who just passed away. My hope is to produce and direct Family Recipe in the next year. It’s a lighthearted family dramedy.

BAC: Do you have any tips for aspiring playwrights?

HM: Just write. Be kind to yourself. It takes time. Rewrite. And rewrite often.

BAC: Anything else you want to add?

HM: A writer writes alone. A play takes an entire community to produce. I am grateful to everyone who helped put "Last Hand" on stage.

If you would like to see Last Hand, you can get tickets HERE: https://northtoshore.com/event/last-hand-an-ac-murder-mystery/.

To learn more about the Atlantic City Theatre Company or how to get involved, go to their website.