Location:
Canadian Tire Lobby

Price:
Free admission

Building Hours: Monday to Friday 9:30 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 9:30 am to 5:00pm

The Show Must Go On by Brooke Cote

Beneath the red velvet curtains and the glow of a theatre spotlight, a single figure takes the stage. She clutches porcelain masks: fragile, beautiful, and heavy with meaning. Each mask represents both a shield and a burden: a way to conceal her truest self from the audience, and a reminder of the balance between safety and authenticity.

This series was created in connection with the Centre’s Queer Arts Festival, exploring the dualities of identity, performance, and vulnerability. For many, the stage of life demands careful choreography; hiding behind masks when visibility feels dangerous, yet longing to drop them when the world feels safe enough to embrace who we really are.

The images move between tenderness and tension. In some, the mask is cradled like a trusted companion, offering protection and comfort. In others, it becomes an isolating weight, a barrier between self and stage. Through this contrast, The Show Must Go On illuminates the intimate struggle of identity: when to hide, when to reveal, and how both choices carry their own risks and power.

But the stage is also a place of transformation. Here, there is no single moment of unveiling, only a journey taken at one’s own pace. Whether we wear them in the next scene or choose to set them aside, each step itself is an act of courage. So when the spotlight turns toward you, ask yourself: What part of my story feels ready to step into the light?

Featuring artists Tommy Green and Kaiden Alford.