By the time the doors opened for A Night for Patrick, the lobby at North Shore Music Theatre was already full of green shirts. Broadway performers, local musicians, kids, and neighbors came together in Beverly on Monday, August 24, to support 10-year-old Patrick Wetson and his family.
Carol Lavoie Schuster developed and produced the evening with Patrick’s Pack, and North Shore Music Theatre gave the cause its stage. Creative Collective was there for a simple reason: to support Carol, the theatre, and a family surrounded by a whole lot of love. We brought cameras.
The available seating sold out. The lobby backed up past the bar, and the room stayed loud all night. This is the light recap — the moments that stayed with us, and the photos that tell the story better than a long play-by-play ever could.
Doors, and a balloon arch in Patrick's Pack green. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
People gather outside a building under a colorful balloon arch with star-shaped balloons. Some are talking in groups or holding drinks. A sign above the door reads “Come From Away Nicholas Newhall.” Sunlight illuminates the scene.
The lobby backed up past the bar before doors. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A large crowd stands in line near a “Bar Entrance” sign inside a brightly lit indoor space. People are chatting, and some hold drinks. The area appears busy, with many patrons waiting and bar staff visible behind the counter.
Local music under a logo the size of a garage door. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A man in a plaid shirt and cap sings into a microphone while playing an acoustic guitar on stage. There is a blue and white banner with text and a graphic in the background.
The room, mid-applause. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
An audience sits in a theater, watching a performance. Some people are clapping, one person is taking a photo with a phone, and most appear focused on the stage. The lighting is warm and the seating is crowded.
Two kids, two microphones, 1,500 seats. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Two children stand facing each other, each holding a microphone. The girl wears a white shirt under a black dress, and the boy wears a light blue polo. They appear to be performing or speaking on stage against a dark background.
The shamrocks carried handwritten messages. One read YOU GOT THIS. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A woman in a green shirt with a large “A” on it holds green paper shamrocks with encouraging messages. Another woman in green stands and smiles in the background. The scene is brightly lit with a blue and green color scheme.
The signed basketball found its person. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Three boys smile while seated in red theater chairs. The boy on the right holds a silver basketball in a glass display case. They all wear casual shirts, and another child in light blue is partially visible in the background.
Seven letters, and a cake with the date on it. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Eight people pose behind a round table with a large cake that reads “ALL IN FOR PATRICK North Shore Music Theatre August 24, 2019.” Seven women wear green shirts, each with a white letter spelling “PATRICK.” A boy stands in front of them.
What did A Night for Patrick look like?
Green was everywhere. A balloon arch framed the entrance. Patrick’s Pack shirts moved through the lobby, and the stage shifted from Broadway songs to local performers, comedy, and a Community Talent Show. It felt less like a gala and more like a room full of people who knew why they were there.
Seven letters, one room
Near the end of the night, seven volunteers stood together in matching green shirts. Each shirt carried one white letter. Together they spelled PATRICK.
Then people held up oversized paper shamrocks covered with handwritten messages. One read YOU GOT THIS! That was the night in one frame: personal, a little scrappy, and full of people showing up loudly for one family.
Who took the stage at A Night for Patrick?
Broadway actor Jake Ryan Flynn hosted and performed four numbers: Catch Me If You Can, Pink Pony Club, If I Ain’t Got You, and Broadway Baby. He sang the last with Broadway performer Jenn Gambatese, who also performed solo. Flynn grew up in Hamilton-Wenham and first appeared on the NSMT stage in 2014.
The lineup also included Jordan Quinn, Jolie Lubar, Olivia Avery (Principi), Jack Favazza, James Stark, and Samantha Leone. The Community Talent Show brought Jack Schuster, Juliette Wilson, The White Family, and Harrison Esker to center stage. Patrick and his sister, Camilla, chose Esker as the winner.
Kids shared the same stage as Broadway performers. Nobody seemed especially worried about the hierarchy, which felt exactly right.
A full house for a great cause
Four days before curtain, we shared Carol’s invitation with our community. By Monday, every available seat had been claimed. That belongs to Carol, Patrick’s Pack, NSMT, the artists, sponsors, and everyone who showed up.
Local businesses helped make the evening possible, including Hawkins Building Group and Aviva Wellness & Aesthetics. Creative Collective came to support the people doing the work and to photograph what they built together.
Afterward, a sheet cake sat on a table by the bar. It read All In for Patrick. Behind it stood seven people spelling a name. That image says most of what needs saying.
A Night for Patrick: quick details
When and where was A Night for Patrick?
The benefit took place Monday, August 24, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at North Shore Music Theatre, 54 Dunham Road in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Who organized the benefit?
Carol Lavoie Schuster developed and produced the evening with Patrick’s Pack. North Shore Music Theatre presented it, and Creative Collective attended to support Carol, NSMT, and the cause while photographing the night.
Did A Night for Patrick sell out?
Yes. Every seat released for the event was claimed. Producer Carol Lavoie Schuster confirmed the sellout.
How can I still help?
Patrick’s Pack continues beyond the event. The useful support now is the kind that lasts after the stage clears and the photos are delivered.
Photos: Creative Collective. See the full A Night for Patrick gallery on Pixieset.
About the author: John Andrews is Founder & President of Creative Collective, covering small business, arts, and community across Essex County. He photographed A Night for Patrick at North Shore Music Theatre on August 24, 2026.
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