Shelby Corcoran

Shelby Corcoran
Glee character
First appearance	"Hell-O"
Last appearance	"Sweet Dreams"
Created by	Ian Brennan
Portrayed by	Idina Menzel
Information
Occupation	Show choir director daycare operator
Children	Rachel Berry (biological) Beth Corcoran (adoptive)

Shelby Corcoran is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. Portrayed by actress Idina Menzel, Shelby was introduced in the fourteenth episode of the show as the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, a rival show choir to New Directions, the show's primary musical group. Fans had lobbied for Menzel to be cast as Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) biological mother, due to the strong physical resemblance between Menzel and Michele. After it is revealed that Shelby is, in fact, Rachel's biological mother, Shelby discloses that she had signed a contract that stated that she could not seek out her daughter until she was eighteen. She tells Rachel that instead of trying to act like mother and daughter, they should just be grateful that they have met, and maintain their distance.

In the season one finale, Shelby adopts Quinn and Puck's newborn daughter, Beth. She leaves Vocal Adrenaline before the beginning of the next school year. Shelby returns in the second episode of the third season, having been recruited to lead a second glee club at McKinley High by Sugar Motta's father when Sugar is refused entry into New Directions. Shelby offers to include both Quinn and Puck in Beth's life. Struggling at being a mother, she forms a romantic bond with eighteen-year-old student Puck, leading to a sexual relationship before she tells him that their relationship is a mistake and resigns from McKinley in the eighth episode. While Menzel's musical performances on the show have been lauded, Shelby's storylines were characterized as rushed, incomprehensible and polarizing by contemporary reviewers.

Shelby Corcoran is introduced in the fourteenth episode of the series as the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, a rival show choir to New Directions, the show's primary musical group. New Directions' director, Will (Matthew Morrison), on a visit to Carmel High School, meets Shelby and they end up at his apartment making out, but Will is unable to continue and tells her about his relationship problems. Shelby suggests that as Will had been with Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) since he was fifteen and has immediately moved on to a new relationship, he ought to take some time out for himself. She later observes as New Directions' star singer, Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), and Vocal Adrenaline's Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) kiss, and exchanges knowing looks with Jesse. In "Dream On", Rachel confides in Jesse of her lifelong dream to discover the identity of her mother. While they are searching through boxes of records from her basement, Jesse takes a cassette tape from his jacket and pretends that it came from the box. The tape is labeled as a message from mother to daughter. Rachel refuses to listen to the tape, stating that she is not ready. Jesse later meets with Shelby, who reveals that she is Rachel's biological mother, but a contractual agreement with Rachel's two fathers prevents her from meeting with Rachel until she is 18. She implores Jesse to convince Rachel to listen to the tape. Back at Rachel's house, Jesse starts the tape playing as Rachel enters her bedroom, then leaves her to listen to it. On the tape, Shelby sings "I Dreamed a Dream", leading to a duet with Rachel in a dream sequence, ending with Rachel back in her room in tears.

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