The Stork Files: True Stories of Adoption, Abortion, and Having No Choice
Julie Coppens
Cincinnati, OH
Unswaddling secrets, terminating shame, bearing witness, fostering community.
In the summer of 1972, a suburban Cincinnati mom brought home a new wig… and an adopted baby. Five decades (and a few Supreme Court decisions) later, one journalist/theatremaker considers her unlikely “life” story, amidst the reproductive-rights tug-of-war—and invites others to share their truths—with this funny, poignant work-in-progress.
Category: Interdisciplinary
Tags: Personal History, Gender Politics, Community
Rating: PG-13
Venue: Know Theatre
Please note there is no late seating for this production.
Based on current infection rates and active cases, Cincy Fringe plans to make masking encouraged, but optional in performance spaces for audiences for the 2023 Festival.
Please note that we will re-evaluate this policy if infection rates rise significantly before or during the Festival, in the interest of keeping the festival accessible to our most vulnerable artists, patrons, and staff.
Thank you for your understanding.
Artist Bio
Like a lot of adoptees, Julie Coppens (she/her) is a shape-shifter, having played many roles over a long career in theatre, journalism, nonprofit leadership, and parenting. She produced the student podcast Democracy & Z and the “What Does Justice Look Like?” YouTube series for Cincinnati Public Radio; previously she served on the national publications staff of the Educational Theatre Association, as an editor of Dramatics magazine and director of the Thespian Playworks program for high school writers. In between came a seven-year stint in Alaska, where she led youth programming and communications at Perseverance Theatre, among other creative projects. Offstage, Julie’s a longtime volunteer and current Board President of Ski for Light, Inc., which introduces the sport of cross-country skiing to adults with visual or mobility impairments.