PORTLAND, Ore. — The future of Portland’s iconic drag club, Darcelle’s XV Showplace, is uncertain. After 57 years in the old town, the historic site is in danger of closing.

KATU’s Angelica Thornton sat down with Kevin Cook, who plays Poison Waters, to talk about what it will take to keep the doors open. It’s hard for Cook to think about Darcelle’s end.

“To me, Darcelle means a second home,” Cook said. “It’s a place of acceptance, a place of growth. I’m definitely not the man I was when I came in.”

Following a drop in visitor attendance, the club first sounded the alarm last summer – but now the situation is even more dire.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:Portland’s historic LGBTQ+ drag venue Darcelle faces closure after 57 years

“I’d hate to say it, but going into the new year, we’re kind of looking at four to six weeks at a time,” Cook said.

Poison Waters has been performing at Darcelle for 34 years, dazzling people around the world with his warm and quick-witted personality. The club’s Las Vegas-style cabaret revues, full of glitz, glamor and comedy, help audiences celebrate all that there is to celebrate; birthdays, hen parties or just a regular Friday night. Poison Waters took over as leader of Portland’s drag community following the death of Walter Cold, aka Darcelle, the world’s oldest active drag queen, in 2023.

And they were some big heels to fill.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” Cook said. “I’m doing my best to make Darcelle proud, to preserve the integrity of the club and the history. That’s something I’ve always valued about my position here.”

But Cook admits things aren’t going well.

“I wish I could say, ‘They’re doing great. We have lines outside,’ but that’s just not the reality. And there are a lot of factors behind that,” Cook said .

Darcelle’s is located in Old Town, a neighborhood struggling with crime and homelessness. But Cook says these problems aren’t new and aren’t what’s weighing the company down.

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He thinks the economy is the main culprit. Costs have skyrocketed and people don’t have as much money for fun in their budgets.

“Fewer customers means less money. The overhead remains the same no matter how many people come,” Cook said.

“We just need some butts in the seats, and we’ll do the rest. If you get in, we’ll take care of the rest and it’ll be great.”

Cook says Darcelle’s spirit lives on in every performance, and he promises the club still offers one of the best drag shows in the world — that it remains one of Portland’s shining jewels.

“I’m hopeful. I never say never,” Cook said. “We’ve been through some tough times and we’ve come out okay. And I think sometimes people just need to know, and they don’t realize how bad it is. So it’s us, no ego , unpretentious. We need help.”

You can attend shows at Darcelle on Friday and Saturday evenings as well as Sunday brunch. They are also hosting more private parties to increase their income.

For more information on schedules and reservations, visit the Showplace website WEBSITE.