After purchasing the property in the year 1967, late Drag Queen Superstar Darcelle opened the doors for the LGBTQ community by founding the renowned drag cabaret “Darcelle XV Showplace” in the heart of Portland.
Who Was Drag Queen Superstar Darcelle XV?
Walter W. Cole, aka Darcelle XV, is an American drag queen, owner, performer, and operator of a cabaret located in Portland, Oregon. He goes with the stage name “Darcelle XV” from 26th November in the year 1930 until his passing away that happened recently on 23rd March of the year 2023. In the year 2016, drag queen Cole was recognised by Guinness World Records as being the oldest drag queen performer thanks to his 57-year career as an artist.
During the late 1950s era, after he was released from the US military following the Korean War, Cole had a conventional life in southeast Portland with his family that included his wife and two children.
Cole liked to distinguish himself as having a crew cut along with horn-rimmed spectacles. The oldest drag queen also stated that he worked at a Fred Meyer store and that he funded his entrepreneurial efforts with money from the military.
About Darcelle’s Nightclub
Before creating his own drag identity, Darcelle XV, the pioneer of the drag movement first launched the nightclub Darcelle XV Showplace in the year 1967. The venue itself made history in the year 2020 when it was included on the National Register of Historic Places in honor of its 53rd birthday.
Also, it became the first location in Oregon to receive national recognition for its significance in the history of LGBTQ+ people. Following the tragic news of Darcelle’s passing, the venue issued a sorrowful statement on Thursday.
When Did Cole Start His Career as a Drag Queen?
Cole wore his first female clothing at the age of 37, and by 1969, the same year he came out as gay, he had developed the persona of “Darcelle.” He separated from his wife and started relations Roxy Neuhardt, who was employed at the Showplace alongside Darcelle as a performer. Together they remained up until Neuhardt’s passing in the year 2017. This year on 23rd March, Cole, 92 years old, passed away at his home in Portland due to natural causes.
Denise Darcel, a French actress and singerhonoredoured with the appellation “Darcelwhich is where his name came from. Darcelle wore dazzling attire, jewelry, and fake eyelashes and her persona was described by Cole as having “sequins on the eyelids, lots of feathers, big hair, big jewels, and lots of wisecracks”. In order to circumvent an Oregon law that prohibited the use of more than one instrument during performances, actors at Darcelle XIV Showplace lip-synced.
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