It’s been two years since the Pacific Northwest lost a true treasure: Walter Cole, a.k.a. Darcelle XV. That’s No Lady, a musical biography of Walter/Darcelle and her longtime partner, Roxy Neuhardt, made its world premiere in 2019 and returns this Pride Month. The production brings back Kevin Loomis as Walter/Darcelle and James Sharinghousen as Roc/Roxy.
The musical traces the life of Walter Cole across the past 52 years. His friendship with Jerry Ferris led to a drag act that, in 1974, transformed Demas Tavern into the legendary Darcelle XV Showplace. A chance encounter brought Walter and dancer Roc Neuhardt together—their partnership would last 47 years, until Roc’s death in 2017.
With book and original lyrics by Donnie, and additional music and lyrics by Tom Grant, Marv & Rindy Ross, Jon Quesenberry, Storm Large, Rody Ortega, and Wesley Bowers, the show also includes classics like “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Hang ’Em High,” “Send in the Clowns,” “Bad Girls,” and “Proud Mary.”
My personal history with Darcelle goes back to the 1980s. Turn on Portland TV, and there she was—everywhere. Darcelle and Roxy even attended my Aunt Marian’s wedding to her partner Jo in 1985. But it wasn’t until 2003 that I officially met the legend. Over the years, I attended countless performances at the Darcelle XV club. I recall interviewing her for her 80th birthday in 2010—our conversations were always a delight. Triangle Productions’ Donnie Horn knew Walter Cole personally, and it’s clear this show was a labor of love.
I had a chance to sit down with both Donnie and Kevin Loomis, who reprises the larger-than-life role of Walter as Darcelle.
MK Scott:
Tell me about That’s No Lady.
Kevin Loomis:
It’s been quite a journey. I was doing a year-long walkabout after leaving New York. A friend who worked at Portland Center Stage told me someone was casting a show and asked if I knew anyone. She said, “I only know one person—Kevin Loomis.”
She connected me with Don. I was in Austin when we first talked—about half an hour. I sent him my materials, and he took a leap of faith and hired me without ever meeting me in person. That’s unusual for my 40+ year career—being cast over the phone.
MK Scott:
What was it like when you actually met Walter?
Kevin Loomis:
It was wonderful. We did a read-through at the theater the day after I landed in Portland. That’s when I met him for the first time.
I still have photos from that night. One of the great gifts of this show is that he became a friend—very dear to me. That’s why this remount is so meaningful. It’s also bittersweet, because he won’t be in the audience.
MK Scott:
What was his reaction to you being in the show?
Kevin Loomis:
He seemed to really like it. When I saw him opening night in the hallway, he had tears in his eyes. That felt like a grand compliment.
He received a bouquet of roses onstage that night and gave them to my mother, saying, “I think you deserve these.” He came to see the show three times. I’ll never forget closing night: he showed up in drag, as he had to head to the club after.
At the end of the show, I came out in full Darcelle regalia—long gown, jewelry, heels—and walked through the audience, telling blue jokes. I stopped in front of him—it was like the Patty Duke Show, seeing double. I said, “Stop me if you’ve heard this one.” The audience broke up, and so did he.
He gave of himself for decades. He’ll be sorely missed.
MK Scott:
I saw a video where you did a makeup tutorial with him.
Kevin Loomis:
Yes, I saw that too—it was lovely.
Donnie:
The first time Kevin met Walter, we drove Walter home, and I asked Kevin, “Are you okay?” He said, “That’s me out of drag.” Walter tried to show Kevin how to do makeup, but he’d never really instructed anyone before. It’s one thing to do it alone every night—it’s another to teach someone.
We had a lot of conversations about casting. Walter really wanted the roles to be right. If Walter was going to be portrayed, who would be Roxy? That mattered deeply to him. Roxy was his life partner, and his biggest fear was miscasting that role. He said, “I’m only coming once.” But like Kevin said, he came three times.
MK Scott:
So James Sharinghousen (Left with Donnie) plays Roxy, and Walter approved?
Donnie:
Oh yes. He said, “That’s Roxy.” Walter had met James before—we did Pageant at the club, and Walter just fell in love with him. He told James, “Someday you’ll work for me.” James laughed it off, but now here we are.
Walter once said to me, after hearing the songs we wrote—especially the hard ones, about his father raping him and about his aunt—that they made him cry. He said, “I’ve never told anyone this, but my father never said, ‘I love you.’” Even after visiting his dad daily at the care facility near the end, his father still denied he had a son in his will.
That hit Kevin hard, too. Walter’s story was full of these difficult parallels—something Donnie and Walter shared. That made their bond deep and real. This show is about Walter—the man—not just Darcelle.
MK Scott:
How far into Walter’s story does the show go?
Donnie:
It ends shortly after Roxy dies. The last song, written with Storm Large, is about the rose. Walter cried when he heard it and said, “It feels like every show is a love song.” That’s how we wanted to end it. Storm plays ukulele, so that’s what we used.
MK Scott:
Tell me about the real Tina.
Donnie:
Tina performed at Demas Tavern back when it was a rough dive bar. Walter thought she was a woman—there was only one bathroom, and when Tina came out as a man, he was confused.
Tina, whose real name was Jerry, was a Native American from Klamath Falls. His family loved him. He became well known in the Portland drag scene. Tina struggled with addiction—sniffing glue, hairspray, even gas from car tanks—but she remained close to Walter.
She even performed onstage in a wheelchair before she died. That’s the kind of bond they had. Walter stayed friends with everyone he ever worked with. That’s rare in our community.
MK Scott:
Any references to other queens, like Poison Waters or Lady Elaine Peacock?
Donnie:
No. The show focuses on the core group: Walter, Roxy, Tina, and Mr. Mitchell, who’s been at the club for nearly 40 years. But in Act Two, there’s a segment called “Catch a Rising Star,” where current drag performers—like Bolivia Carmichaels and others—are invited to do a specialty number. Each night is different.
MK Scott:
Do you do the “Rhinestone Cowboy” number?
Kevin Loomis:
Oh yes. I had junior high and high school teachers see my bare ass!
Donnie:
Walter performed that number right through his eighties. He passed away in March 2023 but was still onstage in full costume for New Year’s 2023.
MK Scott:
Tell me about the song “The Rose.”
Donnie:
Walter always wanted to make a recording, so we went to the studio, and he knew The Rose inside and out. Later, he recorded a B-side. We held a release party on his birthday—he said, “This is the kind of birthday I never get.”
He learned The Rose from a cabaret singer named Alma Lorenz, who used to clean at his club but would perform Sunday afternoons. It honors his past and hers. That’s why it’s in the show.
THREE WEEKS ONLY!
June 5 – 22nd
Thursday, Friday, Saturday @ 7:30
Sunday matinees June 15 [Father’s Day] and June 22 at 2 pm
For tickets/information: 503-239-5919 or www.trianglepro.org
All seats are reserved. Tickets $5-$40
Show will be performed at The Sanctuary at Sandy Plaza – triangle’s home
