She became a guest artist at Howard University during their 1965–66 season, starring in James Baldwin's Blues for Mister Charlie and in Weill and Brecht's The Threepenny Opera as Mrs. Peachum.

She moved to New York City in 1966 and began her professional acting career by appearing in Al Carmines' San Francisco's Burning and Ted Shine's Sandcastles and Dreams.

After Otto Preminger viewed the play, he cast Coco and Shore to appear in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon.

[1] Shore was cast as the no-nonsense secretary, Felicia Farfus, on the CBS television sitcom, Arnie, which ran from 1970 to 1972.

[1] In 1974, she won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Sea Horse at the Ivanhoe Theatre in Chicago.