Backstage at Madam Cooper's Country Cabaret

Last month I was invited to be backstage at Madam Cooper's Country Cabaret at the Showdown here in Portland, Oregon.

The monthly show consists of Cooper with her country band Cooper and Her Daddy Issues (such a great name!). She sings and does striptease, but she also MCs, talks, jokes and tells stories.

She has dancers come on stage to strip while Cooper and the band do great old country tunes, plus some of Cooper's own songs. It's so fab and joyous.

This time the show was graced by the presence of a famous and much-loved drag queen called Dr. Poison Waters, who sang These Boots Are Made For Walkin' and did a comedy thing with Cooper. She was very funny.

Also working was the incredible dancer Sandria Doré, who was just named Portland's best stripper in Willamette Week's Best of Portland 2026 Reader's Poll.

Then there was the gorgeous Cherry Midnight, who dances at clubs around town, a vivacious dancer called Fantasia, and hunky Halo, who I shot photos of at the Dong Show in Cooper's Parlor, looking so hot in his leather chaps and harness.

Cooper was stunning and wonderful as always, though she had just been through a difficult, painful week of playing Dolly at the Can Can Theater while also grieving Dolly Parton's death the week previous.

Her lovely husband Ian (The Klondike Kid, in the black hat) was in and out of the room, organizing, helping, making it all run smoothly.

I had an hour to shoot everyone getting ready - an hour of excitement and nerves - and was there during a meeting in the big room next to the dressing room downstairs (that wasn't as somber as the photos suggest).

The band, the dancers and Ian were in attendance, as was a fella called Texas, who is the stage manager. He gathers up the cash that people throw (Ian does too) and helps generally with costumes and what-have-you. 

I only got to see a bit of the performances because I had somewhere I had to be, but what I did see was sexy and electric.

As I was leaving, I saw the arrival of Thomas Lauderdale (of Pink Martini fame), who often jumps on the piano to perform with the band, and sometimes Storm Large makes a cameo appearance, singing with Cooper and generally being wildly amazing. Those two powerful, talented women on one stage together is truly something inspiring to witness.

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