Breaking Barriers Makes Its Montreal Debut
For the first time, Breaking Barriers: The Story of Gloria Baylis was performed in Montreal, the city where her historic legal case unfolded.
Held at Collège Beaubois in Pierrefonds, the evening brought together families, educators, youth performers, and community supporters. The setting was fitting. Baylis’s fight against workplace discrimination began in Montreal, and this marked the first time her story was presented on stage in the city where it occurred.
The evening connected performance, conversation, and community reflection in the city where the events at the center of the story took place.
The Story Behind the Production
Gloria Baylis was born in Barbados and trained as a nurse in the United Kingdom before later settling in Montreal.
In 1964, Baylis applied for a part-time nursing position at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel. After being denied the position, she filed a complaint under Quebec’s newly introduced Act Respecting Discrimination in Employment. Her case became a landmark in Canadian legal history.
The legal battle lasted eleven years and ended with a ruling that found the hotel guilty of racial discrimination, marking one of the earliest legal decisions addressing workplace discrimination in Canada.
Later in her life, Baylis founded Baylis Medical in 1986, a medical device company that grew into an internationally recognized business.
Breaking Barriers brings these moments to the stage through youth performers, exploring both the landmark legal case and the broader story of Gloria Baylis’s life.
Youth on Stage
The production was led by youth through EnRoute 2 Success.
Over several weeks, rehearsals focused on courtroom dialogue, historical context, and character development. The material explored the events surrounding Gloria Baylis’s case and how they could be brought to the stage.
Presenting the play in Montreal added another dimension. The story portrayed on stage is connected directly to the city where the events unfolded.
For many of the youth involved, it was their first time presenting a historical narrative in the place where it occurred.
Cast
Issy Adedeji – Mother & Gloria Baylis
Juliet Blake – Pauline, Richard & Frank Baylis
Alyssa Britton – Young Gloria
Kyla Davis – Teacher, Friend & Lawyer
Rihanna Rudder – Françoise Baylis
Ianthe Shannon – Narrator
Liam Walters – Lawyer & Photographer
Syon Walters – Hotel Staff & Judge
A Conversation with the Baylis Family
After the performance, Dionne Codrington from CBC moderated a conversation with Frank Baylis, Penny Baylis, and playwright Denée Rudder.
They shared reflections about their mother and the values that shaped her life. They spoke about how Gloria Baylis remained resilient in the face of discrimination and refused to allow barriers to define her path. They also reflected on the strong women in their family who shaped that outlook.
The conversation allowed the audience to hear more about the life and experiences behind the story they had just seen on stage.
Several youth from the cast joined the discussion and shared what it meant to perform Gloria Baylis’s story in Montreal, the city where the events of the case took place.
Audience members also contributed their own memories of Gloria Baylis. Some spoke about knowing her personally and described moments when she helped them, including connecting them with job opportunities or offering support when it was needed.
Across the conversation, many of the stories reflected the same idea: Gloria Baylis was known for helping others, including people she had only just met.
Partners Behind the Evening
The Montreal performance was made possible through collaboration with:
Collège Beaubois
W.I.B.C.A.
Baylis Medical Technologies
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Chloee King
Each contributed in different ways to help bring this first Montreal performance to life.
Partnerships like these make it possible for EnRoute 2 Success to present youth-led programming beyond our home base in Brampton and the GTA.
What This Performance Represents
This debut in Montreal marks an expansion of our youth programming beyond the GTA. It also reflects continued investment in stories that are part of Canada’s social and legal history.
For the youth involved, it was an opportunity to lead on stage in a city directly connected to the narrative.
For the organization, it was a step forward in regional reach and partnership.
Looking Ahead
Thank you to every volunteer, partner, family member, and supporter who joined us in Montreal.
We will continue bringing youth-led programming to communities connected to the stories we share.