Penny Sterling, Chloe Corcoran to Present Solo Shows at Rochester Fringe

They're both from Rochester, they've been friends for years, both were stereotypical masculine guys who transitioned later in life, both have incredible stories to tell and both are fascinating story tellers. Penny Sterling and Chloe Corcoran are both performing in this year's Fringe…just in separate shows:

Have I ever told you about...?

Even though Penny Sterling has performed four other autobiographical shows in Rochester's past Fringes, there are lots of strange and hilarious adventures she's yet to talk about…until now! Penny will let audience members choose the stories she'll tell -- will it be the snowball fight that lasted three days? Or how her quasquicentennial* house came with its own polka-based spectral sound system? You decide! Performances (13+) are Sunday, September 20 at 5 PM and Wednesday, September 23 at 7 PM at The Focus Theatre (260 Main St., Suite 3100).

Tickets are $20 at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/have-i-ever-told-you-about.

I Don't Get It...

Former Rochesterian Chloe Corcoran tells the true story of her unique journey through the lens of coming out as a trans woman to one of her former teammates. A professional speaker, she takes you inside the world of her college football locker room, time spent as a bouncer, and her internal thoughts as a woman in some of the most masculine environments. Suspense builds as she learns more about herself, what she must do, and the price one pays to be oneself. Performances (16+) are Saturday, September 19 at 2 PM and Sunday, September 20 at 12:45 PM at the Memorial Art Gallery's Bausch & Lomb Parlor.

Tickets are $20 at https://rochesterfringe.com/tickets-and-shows/i-dont-get-it.

“Does transitioning work,” asks Sterling? “Chloe's brilliant show is testament to the fact that it does. It's extremely hard work, but everything I always wanted to do in my life and never did happened after I transitioned.”

“Penny was a huge inspiration to me,” says Corcoran. “She showed me that transitioning is possible, not to be afraid, and that it's OK to draw attention to yourself in a way that you want to.”

And Corcoran has attracted some major attention recently. She was cast in the first-of-its-kind audio reality show, BEING: Trans, which explores the lives of a group of transgender people living in Los Angeles. Articles about this project appeared in The New York Times, among other media outlets, and she appeared on a billboard in Times Square. Corcoran was also honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers for her activism. She first appeared on stage at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in A Third Space and debuted her one-woman show, I Don't Get It…, in LA's Joy Who Lived Festival.

Sterling is pretty much a Rochester institution at this point but has also shared her transition story in more than 100 performances of five original shows across the U.S., including Off-Broadway performances.

“This time, Chloe – through humor and honesty -- will be the one helping audiences see that trans people are just people working their way through the world,” explains Sterling. “My “salad bar of stories” is more of a chance for me to relax and have fun on stage, telling stories about myself. Some are funny, some are poignant, most are a mix of both. They're…Foignant.”

Corcoran adds: “You'll definitely want to hear how Penny narrowly averted an international crisis with an ex-KGB agent using the special weapon of…rum raisin ice cream!”

More About Chloe Corcoran

Chloe is a 2004 graduate of the University of Rochester, where she played four years of varsity football and then served as an assistant coach. She earned her Master's degree at Northeastern University and her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at the University of Rochester. Chloe was the first out transgender woman to be named a “40 Under 40” award winner in her hometown of Rochester, NY. In 2019, she was one of 10 people selected from a nationwide pool of candidates for a Victory Empowerment Fellowship from the Victory Institute, and she has held multiple leadership positions on nonprofit Boards. She is currently a government-appointed member and newly elected Chair of the Transgender Advisory Board for the City of West Hollywood, and she sits on a Research Subject Review Board for the University of Rochester Medical Center. Chloe has given over 50 speeches across the country, co-hosted two radio shows, and enjoys photography in her spare time. 

More About Penny Sterling (she/her/hers)

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