Longest Running Drag Show On the West Coast Visits The Dalles
“This is our 55th year. We’ve been doing this stuff for 55 years. We’re the longest running drag show in the world.” - Kevin Cook a.k.a. Poison Waters
Darcelle XV & Co standing loud and proud on the stage. Standing center in yellow is Darcelle XV. Pictured left to right: Bebe J, Cassie Nova, Bolivia Carmichaels (who is no longer with the show), Poison Waters, Darcelle XV, Mr. Mitchell, Summer Seasons, NayNay Leakes Cartier and Syra St. James.
By Cole Goodwin
Darcelle XV & Co. will perform two evening drag shows at Route 30 in The Dalles, OR on Monday, April 11th, to sold out crowds.
Darcelle XV & Co. is the longest running drag show on the west coast, having just celebrated it’s 55th year anniversary. The show is known for it’s Las Vegas style cabaret revues of glitz, glamor and comedy. The show is a well beloved staple of LGBTQ culture in Oregon. And in 2020, Darcelle XV club became the first Oregon business designated as a national historic site for its significance to LGBTQ history.
The show is also a home away from home to the world’s oldest performing drag queen Walter Cole, a.k.a. Darcelle herself who will be 92 years old this year. Walter is the founder of Darcelle XV & Co.
So, it’s no surprise that the Route 30 show sold out within minutes of being announced.
CCCNews sat down with long-time performer Kevin Cook, a.k.a. Poison Waters, to find out more about the show.
Darcelle XV and Poison Waters take the stage.
Poison Waters has performed drag for 34 years and is the co-hostess at Darcelle XV. Poison also runs her own successful virtual and in-person show, Poison Waters & Friends. Her career highlights include working relationships with Oregon Ballet Theater, Portland Opera, Cascade AIDS Project and KATU’s AM Northwest.
What brings the show to The Dalles?
“We’ve been doing road shows—that’s what we call the shows when we’re not at the club—all over Oregon and Washington for decades,” said Poison.
“And it’s funny, we go to places that people wouldn’t think we would go. But we just go because we’re invited. We never, you know, elbow our way into a space. If we’re invited and somebody hires us, we go for it. So, when Route 30 reached out to us we were like, ‘sure sounds great!’ Even though we don’t know what this place is.”
“So, we negotiated the contract, and then they said it sold out so fast, could we do a second show the same night because they had a waitlist and then that one sold out,” said Poison. “And we were like, ‘oh wow, people really want to see us.’ So, we’re going cause we’ve been invited, and we’re looking forward to it.”
It will be the first time Darcelle XV & Co. will have performed together in the Columbia River Gorge.
“It’s the first time for us as a group,” said Poison. “But I hosted a drag event two years in a row called Fashionation. They brought me out to this big fashion show party. And I think it was the first time they’d had drag out there. It was a long time ago; I think it was 2008 and 2009.”
“It was so fun and I thought there’s such a party in The Dalles. People are so excited and they’re so thrilled. Everybody treated me so nicely, and they were so excited to have drag, and I thought … I wonder why they don’t have more things out here … And now twelve years later here we are.”
Tell us a bit more about the show.
“You’re basically getting the same show as if you came into our club. We just package it all up and bring it to a new venue,” said Poison.
“We’re gonna have nine performers, and everyone has their own act, and we have group numbers too. So, lots of costume changes and stuff. It’s gonna be great.”
What inspires you to perform and what is your favorite thing about performing drag?
“My favorite thing about performing drag is actually just meeting new people. I really love it. I’ve always been a chatty-Cathy people person,” said Poison.
“And growing up I was a theater kid and a band kid and a drama kid and all that fun singing and dancing. Then as an adult, I thought, well, I guess that is all over because I’m not going to move to Broadway or Hollywood.”
But it wasn’t all over.
“So, then I discovered drag. I started when I was 18 and then I started working with Darcelle when I turned 21. And it was like, oh my gosh, I still get to be on stage, singing and dancing and having a good time and have a creative outlet. And then my skills of being a MC and event producer really just kind of kicked in, and so I’ve been able to really hone my craft and bring the theater of drag to rural communities and people literally all over the country.”
“And being with Darcelle and Co. specifically, has opened so many doors to bring drag to places that probably wouldn’t have had it otherwise, So that’s what I really enjoy and that’s what inspires me.”
What do you think is the highlight of every drag performance?
“There’s two. The first initial response in the audience when we begin and we first come out on stage. So the first time they see us and then at the end, we usually do a Q&A and I really like that part because I really like engaging with the audience and connecting and getting to hear their questions and see what our performance brought out in them. And figure out what made them think of this question? What made them want to know more about A, B, or C.”
What is the most memorable question you’ve been asked during the Q&A?
“People often ask what is your least favorite part of drag, which I think is so interesting. Like why would you want to to know the negative part? But you know for me there’s not really a least favorite part. But what I would say—and this is the same for Darcelle–is that we hate to say no. We are so popular and so we get booked out and there’s just not enough room on the calendar, there’s not enough hours in the day to say yes to all the shows.”
“And then people say what is your favorite thing about drag? And there’s so many favorites you know. There’s this funny joke that goes: my favorite part is taking it all off because it’s not very comfortable. So it just depends on the day and the crew. But it’s funny because most questions we’ve been asked a million times. So there’s just not really any new questions.”
What pronouns should you use for drag performers?
“It’s just a person by person basis,” said Poison. “There isn’t a blanket rule. Most of the drag queens I know and work with are men and they have day jobs and other lives and at night we put on our drag and we do our performance and then we take it off. So, most of us at Darcelle’s go by he. And then throughout the night and the performance people will call us she and they. So I answer to all of them.”
“I think most drag queens know it can be confusing, because sometimes we’re dressed as men, sometimes we’re dressed as women. Most drag queens I know are pretty lenient and just answer to whatever you want to call us.”
“But it’s really person specific, and when I want to know someone's pronouns I just ask them,” said Poison. “Drag is for everyone.”
What advice would you give aspiring drag performers who live in rural communities?
“I think anybody that wants to be in drag should. I think that there’s opportunities for people no matter where you are,” said Poison. “I think if you’re in a rural space of course you kind of want to make sure you have a safe space to do drag. Whether it’s just at home or if there’s a social club, or just a place where you and your friends can do it together.”
Poison also suggested doing drag in community with other drag performers.
“It’s fun to do drag with other people. You know, people talk about drag houses and drag families, and that’s where it comes from. It’s just really fun and you can feed off each other’s energy and creativity.”
“I think the pros outweigh the cons. It’s just fun and you get to discover yourself. There’s a lot of self discovery that comes from Drag and especially if you’re new at it, you kind of find your own personality and you’re own way of doing drag.”
“I tell people that if you’re initially getting into drag because you want to be on TV and RuPaul’s Drag Race or you want to make a bunch of money that’s probably not the right reason to be in drag because it takes a long time to get to where you’re making money. And it takes a long time to elevate your platform.”
“But I always tell people, don’t hesitate, if you want to do it, just do it,” said Poison.
Will Darcelle XV & Co be back to The Dalles after their performances on the 11th?
“If there’s an audience for us, of course we’d come back again,” said Poison. “We’ll see how these two shows go.”
Missed this performance? Don’t worry, there will be other opportunities to see the longest running drag show on the West Coast. Check out Darcelle XV’s website for a list of their upcoming events.
