'Darcelle: The Musical' premieres in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. — Walter Cole’s home is filled with shiny things. Lots and lots of shiny things.

“I have this theory, you know, when you think you're finished getting dressed and ready and pretty for stage, you add more," he says.

He’s walking KATU’s Wesleigh Ogle through his Northeast Portland home, built in 1896.

"This is another one of those situations where I had one of them. Now I have a dozen," he says, pointing to a wall filled with framed beaded purses. As with the nutcrackers, the snow globes and the plates filling his home, Cole says friends and family drop these shiny things off, turning him into an involuntary collector.

And he doesn’t shy away from the term hoarder. "As long as you spell the name right, I don't care what you call me.”

Walter Cole is a Portland icon, knighted by the Royal Rosarians, with his own exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society.

But you know him better as Darcelle, the World’s Oldest Working Drag Queen, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

"When you come to Portland, you go to Powell's bookstore,Voodoo Doughnuts, and Darcelles. And then you've seen it all," he says.

At 88 years old, Cole still puts on the jewelry, the dress, the wig and the makeup and performs six shows a week at his club in Old Town, Darcelle XV Showplace.

"It's my life. I've been doing it for 52 years.”

But for the first time, someone else is portraying Darcelle -- and Walter -- onstage. That’s No Lady, That’s Darcelle: The Musicalpremieres on Thursday, Sept. 19. It stars Kevin Loomis as Darcelle, with music by Tom Grant, Marv/Rindy Ross, Jon Quesenberry, Storm Large, Rody Ortega and Wesley Bowers.

Longtime friend Don Horn is the playwright and producer.

"Here's a guy that put on a dress, sold a ticket and stayed in business for 52 years. How many businesses have done that?" asks Horn.

Horn says the musical follows Cole’s life, from when he bought the Demas Tavern in 1974 to present day. It doesn’t shy away from the sad parts.

"My life has been a roller coaster. There's beautiful ups and some downs that some people might not get through," Cole says.

Of course, the story includes Cole’s longtime partner Roc “Roxy” Neuhardt, who passed away in 2017, played by James Sheringhousen.

"I think in his wisdom he would say, 'Don't let it go to your head,’” Cole says of Neuhardt’s possible reaction to the musical, laughing.

Cole hopes his story teaches the audience an important lesson.

"You have to find your way and be who you are. You can't dwell on what's happened before, because you can't change that, but you can change what's gonna happen in front of you," he says.

While Horn sees this musical as a gift of gratitude.

"I hope when he watches the show that he knows that I love him. That I want to honor him, and that he is truly a gift. And that hopefully when he watches he will see that his life is well lived,” he says.

And from the city that loves him, this is yet another "thank you." Just like the snow globes and the plates on the walls that started showing up at his home, filling his life with shiny things.

To that, Cole says “thank you back. It’s been worth it. Thank you back.”