Theater can be ephemeral, with only the veteran artists holding memories alive of the history and the history makers. Donald Horn, founder and managing artistic director of Triangle Productions, brings back an encore production of That’s No Lady, a loving tribute to the life and accomplishments of Walter Cole, otherwise known as his alter ego, the legendary Darcelle. The show also honors Cole’s life partner for decades Roc Neuhart (Roxy). That’s No Lady runs June 5-22 at Triangle Productions at the Sanctuary at Sandy Plaza in Portland.

Dmae Lo Roberts hadn’t talked with Horn in-depth for several years. Joined by actor Kevin Loomis, who portrays Cole in the show, they talked about the legacy of Cole and about the years of activism and community support he lent to artists and those in need. Cole’s nightclub Darcelle XV still goes on strong with 53 years of history in Old Town. Cole not only advanced and supported the LGBTQI+ community worldwide but also endeared himself to local musicians such as Tom Grant, Storm Large and Marv and Rindy Ross, who all contributed original songs for That’s No Lady. 

Subscribe and listen to Stage & Studio on: Apple, Google, Spotify, Android and Sticher and hear past shows on the official Stage & Studio website. Theme music: Clark Salisbury. Clips: Darcelle and Thomas Lauderdale, performing The Rose written by Amanda McBroom. Recorded by Don Horn. And commissioned song witten and performed by Storm Large.

In this podcast, you’ll hear…

How Horn met Cole:  ”It was the early early nineties, when I first started the theater and I needed to get a costume, and I was told to go down to this club. I was actually walking down Third Avenue and there was a guy walking by, and I saw that he was wearing long fingernails and rings and big starry glasses, but he was in sweats. And I thought,’ that’s such a weird look, but down here, who knows?'”

How Cole helped the community:  ” He did it every day during the AIDS crisis. He opened his house to people to live and die in his house. You’d have a mayor or a governor or even, you know, a business person call him up and he’d be there. Sisters of the Road Cafe, he was always there Christmas Eve. What does he do? He closes the club and cooks the dinners for the people on the street. He wasn’t just a businessman or entertainer. He did so much more, and he did that as Darcelle.”

Loomis’s favorite memory of portraying Cole: “ The last show we did last time, he (Cole) had to go to the club right after the show. So he came in full regalia. He was all in drag, tall wig gown bling for days. And at the end of the show I dress up pretty much like that and come out and work the audience like as Darcelle. There I am in front of him … we’re like mirror images. And I stopped and I looked him in the eye and I said, ‘well, now, stop me if you’ve heard this one, and the audience went up.’ I remember that every time. And so I hope to keep his memory alive, like Don, as long as we can.”

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More about the show:

That’s No Lady

Book and Lyrics by Donnie. Additional lyrics and music by Storm Large, Marv/Rindy Ross, Tom Grant, Wesley Bowers, Jon Quesenberry, Rody Ortega and others. Starring Kevin C. Loomis as Darcelle and James Sharinghousen as Roxy.

Synopsis: Walter Cole purchased an old tavern on skid row. One day a woman walked in, went straight to the restroom and within minutes came out as a man. That person was Jerry Ferris, aka Tina. Their friendship forged into a drag act that in 1974 became Darcelle XV. More importantly, there was another person Walter met and fell in love with, Roc Neuhardt: a love story that would last 47 years.

For tickets visit: Trianglepro.org