Darcelle XV Showplace photographic collection

Darcelle XV is the stage name for Walter Cole, born in Portland (Or.) in 1930. He adopted the alter-ego and stage name Darcelle, named after a French actress believed to be named Denise Darcelle (whose name may in fact be Darcel--there is, however, a dancer and choreographer named Denise Darcelle). In 1967, Cole purchased a bar in Old Town Portland called Demas which would become the Darcelle XV Showplace. Darcelle went on to be crowned the 15th Empress of the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court drag pageant; she renamed herself and her club Darcelle XV in honor of that title. In 1967 Cole also met Roxy Neuhardt who would become his lover and artistic collaborator; Cole left his wife and two children and embraced drag culture. With the appearance of AIDS in the 1980s, Cole turned his focus toward fundraising, offering his club for this purpose and appearing at many public events.

Husband and wife Dale and Edie Cochran—friends, devoted fans and regular patrons of the Darcelle XV Showplace—apparently began to document performances at the Showplace in 1989 when they traveled with Darcelle XV and company to Europe. Darcelle XV Showplace is the longest running drag show in the United States, and Darcelle XV has become a legendary figure in the Pacific Northwest LGBTQ scene.

Homosexuality was at the time considered a form of mental illness, and gay acts were illegal. Gay bars were the bedrock of the gay community, providing refuge and serving as community centers. They were often raided by police, though less so in Portland compared to other cities nationwide.