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[0:01] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's The Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon.

[0:09] Robert Bannon: Well, welcome to The Roundtable, everybody. My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to us on Broadway World over here on the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeart, Spotify, wherever you listen to artists talking about art.

[0:17] Robert Bannon: And I love shows that go to Edinburgh. This show's interesting because this show sold out in New York, now it's going to Edinburgh. And why should it go to Edinburgh and then come back to New York or go around the world or go anywhere around the world?

[0:30] Robert Bannon: The star and writer, how did he write this show? And when I think of doughboys, I think of the Pillsbury Doughboy. And I want to know what it means for Darcy Thompson. So what does it mean? And welcome to the show. Darcy Thompson, welcome. Thanks for being here.

[0:49] Darcy Thompson: Hi. Thanks for having me, Robert. This is great.

[0:52] Robert Bannon: It's not the Pillsbury Doughboy.

[0:54] Darcy Thompson: Not the Pillsbury Doughboy. Maybe that's the next show. No. Doughboy was a term that was used in the First World War to refer to the American soldiers because they showed up late to the war.

[1:11] Darcy Thompson: The conflict started in 1914. My God. 1914. And the Americans didn't join until 1917. So they were right there at the end of the war.

[1:23] Darcy Thompson: And so when they showed up, a lot of the British and French and all the other soldiers that had been there for so long who were gaunt and hadn't eaten well and what have you, were looking at these young, teenaged Americans who were fresh off of the American bounty.

[1:43] Darcy Thompson: And they were plump-faced and soft. So they were referred to as the doughboys. Yeah.

[1:50] Darcy Thompson: I think if I go to Europe, they'll still call me a doughboy. I still got a little… I'm preparing for that emotionally. For landing in Edinburgh.

[1:59] Robert Bannon: Can I ask, you look like you are American and you look like you are of a certain age, not older than me. So why, how did you find this subject matter? And then what made you write a show about it?

[2:19] Darcy Thompson: So my family's lineage, my dad's side of the family are all Brits. So that was one into it. And then even more specifically, my great-grandfather on that side was in World War I.

[2:35] Darcy Thompson: Was known as, known by his fellow comrades, was known as Tommy Gun Thompson because he was their machine gun expert on their troop or whatever. Very insane.

[2:49] Darcy Thompson: So I just had this, there's this history in my family. To top that off, I also, a few years ago, I was reading up on what I've always been fascinated by World War I, whether it's the family connection or just the different stories I'd heard.

[3:04] Darcy Thompson: And I had started to learn about the history of drag in World War I. There's this deeply connected history. The story that everyone talks about that I always go back to is Ross Hamilton, who was a Canadian soldier in World War I who started performing as essentially a drag persona named Marjorie.

[3:28] Darcy Thompson: And she became beloved by the troops. She was like this very popular act. And there's tons of, there's actually footage of like drag performances from, I don't know if they were called USO shows at that point, but essentially like the early beginnings of what would become USO shows in World War II.

[3:44] Darcy Thompson: It was, forgive the pun, entrenched in that war. And that always fascinated me. And then the story I always tell of how the show came to be is that my fellow producer and star of the show, Mina Knowles, her and I were getting drinks a few years ago, had had a few.

[4:06] Darcy Thompson: And she was like, I'm working on this one act play series that I'm producing, and we haven't really gotten many submissions and we're not sure about what to do for this next round. Are you writing anything? And I wasn't from theater. I had no theater background, really, besides like occasionally doing some college stuff. And I was like, I have no experience writing for theater.

[4:28] Darcy Thompson: And she was like, no, no, no, but what are you writing? Come on, you pitch me something. And I like on a whim was like, I don't know, some American women dress up as male soldiers so they can fight in World War I. That'd be funny. It's like nine to five, but in World War I, it'd be great.

[4:42] Darcy Thompson: And we both had a few, and she's like, yes, I love it. This is great. And I wake up the next morning, I'm politely hungover, and I get a text from her at like around noon of her going, my head hurts, but I remember you pitching something insane last night. I do want you to write it. And then it's been two years, and we made it happen.

[5:09] Darcy Thompson: It's been two years. I love the description in the press kit. It says, it's like Benny Hill meets his girl Friday meets Mulan. And I love that because I get Mulan. I get the whole thing, and I love that you guys have put, where are you from originally?

[5:28] Darcy Thompson: I was born in New York City, but I grew up most of my life in Jersey.

[5:33] Robert Bannon: Me too.

[5:35] Robert Bannon: Oh my God. Okay, there you go.

[5:37] Robert Bannon: My Jersey brother.

[5:39] Darcy Thompson: One part.

[5:40] Darcy Thompson: I grew up in North Jersey. I grew up in Bergen County. I grew up in Richfield Park, New Jersey. What about you?

[5:46] Darcy Thompson: I grew up in the much debated, whether it exists. Central Jersey.

[5:50] Robert Bannon: Central Jersey, yeah.

[5:51] Robert Bannon: Okay.

[5:55] Darcy Thompson: Little town called Holland Park.

[5:57] Robert Bannon: Oh yeah, it's cute.

[5:58] Darcy Thompson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Basically a hamlet.

[6:01] Robert Bannon: He is from Central Jersey. I believe in the Central Jersey.

[6:04] Darcy Thompson: Okay, great.

[6:06] Robert Bannon: Okay, so you have a career. When I look at your bio, like you said, you didn't do a lot of theater. You created a podcast, which sounds super fun, and I love that.

[6:18] Darcy Thompson: If you're into podcasts, everyone, it's called Dragon's Rest. You directed and played at different festivals and different things as well.

[6:26] Darcy Thompson: And you're a writer and a director and an actor, but this is like your baby. This is your big, sold out Brooklyn, New York City, now going to Europe show.

[6:38] Robert Bannon: Do you feel excited, pressure, nervous? How does it feel?

[6:43] Darcy Thompson: Well, it's a surreal feeling, but I think something that stands out to me about the whole process is how much it's an act of following what works.

[6:59] Darcy Thompson: Because I left college and I was like, I'm going to be a film director. I don't care about being a writer necessarily. I could just direct other people's stuff. That's fine.

[7:09] Darcy Thompson: And then the pandemic hit and I was like, well, pandemics hit, I can't make movies right now. That's not an option. I didn't have a studio backing or anything. I was like, can't do movies.

[7:23] Darcy Thompson: So I got to figure something out. So I did the podcast, which I was like, oh, I'll write eight episodes of a sitcom and do it as a podcast in less than a year. It'll be fine. It took me four years.

[7:36] Darcy Thompson: But I followed it. I followed the fact that it was working, that people were responding to it, and then it did well. And we still get active downloads.

[7:46] Darcy Thompson: There's a small, vibrant little fan community for that show, which is crazy. And I just followed it.

[7:53] Darcy Thompson: And then Mina asked me to pitch her on something and I followed that. I pitched it. And when we did our first run in 2025, we sold out that one too, which was absolutely incredible.

[8:06] Darcy Thompson: And I left it and I was like, well, I'm very proud of that. What fun that was. Cool. What's the next thing? I started writing my next play, started working on my next thing.

[8:16] Darcy Thompson: And then a friend of mine, a longtime friend of mine, Amit Sankaran, saw the show and he was like, I love this. We need to do something more with this. We need to take this somewhere. We need a fringe or something.

[8:28] Darcy Thompson: And we thought fringe was a moonshot. So we're very happy we landed there. And I remember having a conversation with my partner, who also works on the show in many capacities, but primarily as our costume designer and our stage manager.

[8:43] Darcy Thompson: And I was talking to her about it and I was like, I don't know. I don't know if I want to like, I feel like I've done it. I did that show. And she was like, Darcy, I feel like you're being handed an opportunity to do something bigger and crazier on a silver platter. You should run with that. And I was like, okay, great. I'll do it.

[8:59] Darcy Thompson: Thank you for having me, Robert. I'm really excited to be here and talk about my new play, Doughboys.

[9:29] Robert Bannon: Absolutely! So, let's dive right in. What inspired you to write Doughboys?

[9:59] Darcy Thompson: Well, Doughboys is set during World War I, and it follows three women who disguise themselves as men to enlist in the army. I was inspired by the idea of exploring gender roles during that time and how these women navigate their identities in such a challenging environment.

[10:29] Robert Bannon: That sounds fascinating! What kind of adventures do these characters get into?

[10:59] Darcy Thompson: They find themselves in all sorts of outrageous situations. The play is a farcical comedy, so there's a lot of humor mixed in with the historical context. The friendships that develop among the characters are really heartwarming, and it leads to some unexpected moments.

[11:09] Robert Bannon: I love that blend of comedy and heart. How has the audience responded to the play so far?

[11:19] Darcy Thompson: The response has been incredible! We had a sold-out run in New York, and audiences really connected with the humor and the message behind the story. It’s been rewarding to see people laugh and also reflect on the themes we’re exploring.

[11:39] Robert Bannon: That's amazing! And now you're taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. How does that feel?

[11:59] Darcy Thompson: It's thrilling! The Edinburgh Fringe is such a prestigious platform, and I can't wait for international audiences to experience Doughboys. It's a unique opportunity to share this story with a wider audience.

[12:19] Robert Bannon: What do you hope audiences take away from the play?

[12:39] Darcy Thompson: I hope they leave with a sense of joy and laughter, but also a deeper understanding of the historical context and the resilience of these women. It's important to remember the stories of those who fought for their rights and identities.

[12:59] Robert Bannon: Absolutely. You've also worked on award-winning short films like Jack Turbo and Heartache. How does your experience in film influence your work in theater?

[13:19] Darcy Thompson: My background in film definitely informs my storytelling in theater. I think about pacing, visual storytelling, and character development in a way that translates well to the stage. It’s all about creating an engaging experience for the audience.

[13:39] Robert Bannon: And you also created the fantasy podcast Dragon's Rest. What was that experience like?

[13:59] Darcy Thompson: Creating Dragon's Rest was a fantastic journey. It allowed me to explore world-building in a different medium. The podcast format gives you the freedom to dive deep into characters and stories, and I loved crafting that immersive experience for listeners.

[14:19] Robert Bannon: It sounds like you have a lot of exciting projects on your plate! What's next for you after Doughboys?

[14:39] Darcy Thompson: I'm currently developing a few new ideas, both for theater and film. I want to continue creating stories that blend humor and humanity, and I’m excited to see where those projects take me.

[14:59] Robert Bannon: I can't wait to see what you come up with next! Thank you so much for joining me today, Darcy.

[15:19] Darcy Thompson: Thank you for having me, Robert! It's been a pleasure.

[15:39] Robert Bannon: And to our listeners, be sure to check out Doughboys at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!