Acting For Our Cause

The National Marine Life Center is excited to be hosting it’s very first Murder Mystery Dinner on Sunday April 7th and Monday April 8th! The play Murder “Seals” the Deal was written specifically for NMLC; inspired by our mission and commitment.  The writer and producer of this engaging piece is dedicated volunteer Eva Schegulla. Eva washed ashore on Cape Cod after decades working backstage on Broadway and in film and television production.  She publishes under a half a dozen names in fiction and non-fiction and provides business writing and editing services for an international client base.  Her plays are produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Australia.  Visit her at www.fearlessink.com and http://devonellington.wordpress.com. Eva spent a day in the boots of our animal care volunteers to learn the daily nuances of our marine animal hospital and give the audience a true picture of what we do on a daily basis, mixed with a little comedy, and mystery.

The entire cast of  Murder “Seals” the Deal  donated their time and talents to benefit the rehabilitation, science, and education programs at NMLC.

Dr. Paul Anastasio, who plays Dr. Luke Heller is a Chiropractor at Harwich Health Center with 20 years of experience. He caught the acting bug while attending Dennis Yarmouth Regional High School when he, at his sister Valerie’s persuasion,  played a sailor in Cabaret.  His latest roles include Detective Donald Light in “The Effie Effect” and Jesus in Godspell.

Todd Yates Gosselin, playing Mitch the NOAA inspector, was born and raised right here in Bourne.  After high school Todd attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC.  For the past 15 years Todd has performed in NYC, Boston and the Cape.  A bulk of his work has been with The Academy of Performing Arts in Orleans.  Some of his favorite roles have been:  David O. Selznick in Moonlight and Magnolias, The Beast in Beauty and the Beast and Lenny in Of Mice and Men.

Amie Lytle, portraying the spacey and well meaning volunteer Joye, has spent the past 5 years living in NYC where she recently received her MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School. Favorite NYC roles include Rosannah in Brilliant Traces (DNA), Amy in Free Will and Wanton Lust (ATC) and Maria in Twelfth Night (Looking Glass Theater). This past summer, Amie performed as Reverend Amie in CHURCH at Harbor Stage Company and Sabine in Sleeping Beauty in WHAT4Kids. After performing as Patti Page in Julie London Welcomes Patti Page on Long Island this fall, Amie officially became a New England girl and made the move to Cambridge.

Moira Powers, playing our sleuth – Detective Adrienne Foxx, lives in Falmouth and is is excited to return to the stage after more than a decade. A veteran actor of local theater productions, Moira has acted and danced in Anything Goes, Mame, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Follies, Graceland, and Crimes of the Heart. Now, she concentrates on her floral painting, and by day is the Business and Marketing Manager at the Cape Cod Writers Center.

Belinda Rubinstein, as Sammy the seal, has a degree in Marine Biology and has been working in the marine mammal rehabilitation and stranding field for almost 20 years, specializing in pinniped research. She is an Animal Care Technician at the National Marine Life Center and has taught Biology classes in a variety of settings from pre-school to the college level.

Georgina Spelvin-McManus, our Stage Manager, left the insanity of the entertainment business for greener pastures after many years working at various levels of regional theater. She was roped back in by her commitment to the National Marine Life Center. McManus goes above and beyond in her duties as a volunteer, helping to organize fundraisers, coordinate education programming, and care for our animal patients.

Lisa Smith, as Teri the Animal Care Technician, has been involved in community theater for over 10 years, both on stage and as a director. She was recently in the Woods Hole Theater Company’s production of Love, Loss and What I Wore and also directed “Blithe Spirit”. By day Lisa works at WHOI for the Alvin Group.

The National Marine Life Center would like to send out a HUGE Thank you to everyone who is a part of this awesome production. We are excited to partner with Mezza Luna Restaurant which will be the host of our production. In addition to a great show, audience members will enjoy a delicious three course prix fix dinner. We are proud to say that our Sunday show is SOLD OUT, but there is still seating available for our Monday April 8th performance with seating at 7:30PM. Tickets are $49  and can be purchased online or by calling the National Marine Life Center at 508-743-9888. Come see if you can figure out whodunit!