DOUGHBOYS to Make UK Debut at 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Drunk Jesters Players has announced that after a successful, sold-out debut at the Vino Theatre (Brooklyn, NY) and a subsequent sold-out run at Theater For The New City (New York, NY), the military farce DOUGHBOYS will be joining the lineup for the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The year is 1917. After waiting years for America to enter the war, Private Sam Sandes has arrived at the Western Front, mustachioed and raring for the fight. This greenhorn soldier has just one problem. A problem that must be kept secret from the bumbling British Sergeant Haddock…Private Sandes is a woman. Disguised as an American Doughboy, Sandes isn't the only drag king in the trench tonight. Bella Bianconi, a bachelorette at wit's end, has come to No Man's Land to land...a man. Felicity Furse, a chronically lucky orphan, is desperate to find her MIA twin brother. As long as the Brit believes this unlikely trio belongs in his boy's club, they're set. When the Sergeant's number two, Corporal Duchamp, threatens to expose them, the trio must strike a deal: Duchamp will keep their secret, and in return they'll help him escape the Front. If not, they'll make sure Duchamp's first-in-line over the top tomorrow morning. With battle looming, the women have just a few hours to find love, family, and themselves before all hell breaks loose.

A lifelong lover of BBC sitcoms, historical documentaries, and classical farce, the concept of DOUGHBOYS came naturally to playwright Darcy Thompson, who penned the play for a one-act festival two years ago after spending time researching the role women played in the Great War. 'The play deals with my own queer identity, and feelings of belonging,' shared Thompson. 'The First World War was a death knell for empires and systems of power across the globe. At the same time, the first cracks in the unquestioned ideas of modern masculinity and gender roles began to show. The suffragists were marching! Today, we see those same cycles repeating once more. DOUGHBOYS asks how we grapple with a rapidly and violently changing world. How do we cope when our own expectations and assumptions of ourselves don't line up with reality?'

For the Edinburgh run of DOUGHBOYS, the cast will include Lily Filippatos (Pvt. Bianconi), Meena Knowles (Pfc. Sandes), Wynn McClenahan (Pvt. Furse), Darcy Thompson (Sgt. Haddock), and Devon Alexander Young (Cpl. Duchamp).

The production team for DOUGHBOYS includes Caitlynn Barrett as the scenic designer, Aura Myers as the Costume Designer and stage manager, Clare McLoughlin as the lighting and sound technician, Dylan Hintz as the fight director, Tan Onwimon as the composer, and Blake Waranch as the production assistant. DOUGHBOYS is produced by Meena Knowles, Amit Sankaran, and Darcy Thompson. The project is directed by Lily Filippatos.

Previews will begin Friday, August 7 and run through Sunday, August 9. 2 for 1 tickets are available Monday, August 10 and Tuesday, August 11. DOUGHBOYS' run will conclude on Saturday, August 22. Tickets are available for purchase and media tickets can be requested by emailing doughboysplay@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

DARCY THOMPSON he/him (Playwright, Producer, Sgt. Haddock) is a writer, director, and actor with a flair for the magical, hysterical, and unexpected. He created the scripted fantasy podcast, Dragon's Rest. Films he directed have played at Another Hole in the Head festival and IFFNY. When not at work, Darcy is either cooking, or debating the funniest way to end this sentence.

MEENA KNOWLES she/her (Producer, Pfc. Sandes) is a NYC based actor, producer, and writer. Along with a hodgepodge of various film/tv credits, she has appeared in productions with The Atlantic Theater Company, La Mama, Adult Film, the Chain Theatre, and the little ballet studio off Route 50 where she took lessons until she was 18. She would like to thank her cat, family, and friends for all their support (in that order). BFA: Tisch, NYU. Reps: Lori Kay (Prevail Artists), Gina Manfredi (DDO Agency).

AMIT SANKARAN he/him (Producer) is a producer with a background in musical theater. He previously worked for the New York Times and studied theatrical producing at Sarah Lawrence College. He daylights as a tech product manager and thinks a lot about optimal trivia team competencies.

LILY FILIPPATOS she/they (Director/Pvt. Bianconi) is an actor, dancer, and director from NYC. Lily has appeared in productions at Teatro LATEA, Chain Theatre, Theater Under the Stars, and Woodstock Playhouse, as well as dance tours across Europe with the Isadora Duncan International Institute. Her recent directing credits include an immersive production of The Seagull on Cape Cod, and a pilot episode for 'Not Just Friends.' Lily is a graduate of the William Esper Studio and holds a BA in Theatre from UMass Amherst. She thanks her family and friends for their loving support on her artistic journey.

WYNN MCCLENAHAN she/her (Pvt. Furse) is an actor from New Jersey. Now based in New York City, she frequently collaborates with PAUL and Project Y Theatre Company on new works. She's performed Off-Broadway, in warehouses in Brooklyn, and a barn in Vermont and is thrilled to add the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to that list. Middlebury College, BA.

DEVON Alexander Young he/him (Cpl. Duchamp), known mononymously as Alexander, is an actor, singer, and dancer from NYC. Alexander made his Off-Broadway debut at nine years old playing Andy in No Man Can Serve Two Masters. His screen credits include Please Judge Me, The Perfect Murder, and Pastalight. Alexander is a graduate of the William Esper Studio and is thrilled to be flying out of the country for his first time.

AURA MYERS she/they (Costume Designer/Stage Manager) is a stage manager, Costume Designer and technician from Boulder, Colorado. She got her start working on Hamilton assisting their design team, and now builds costumes for some of the biggest shows on Broadway including The Lion King, The Great Gatsby, and Wicked. She is thrilled to expand her involvement with Doughboys from the original New York run. She would love to thank her parents, her boyfriend, and all the friends who supported her on this journey.

CLARE MCLOUGHLIN they/them (Lighting & Sound Technician) has been a working lighting designer for over 3 years in the Dublin Theatre scene. They have worked on over 40 productions from original new work theatre to Shakespeare, a capella and dance theatre. They embrace colour and joy as a core element of their style. They have become a staple of festival season from Dublin Fringe Festival, Scene and Heard Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They are currently pursuing an MFA in lighting design at The Lir Academy.

TAN ONWIMON he/him (Composer) is a media composer and orchestrator from Bangkok, Thailand. His work includes Cats: The Jellicle Ball (PAC NYC), Netflix's Uglies, Wu-Tang Clan's Ballet Through Mud, and collaborations with the Colorado Symphony. His upcoming projects include The Bodyguard International Tour and several video games set to release on Steam. He is thrilled to be cast as the Doughboys' gramophone. Speaking of dough, he secretly loves eating cookie dough (even though his mom would pinch him if she saw).

BLAKE WARANCH she/her (Production Assistant) is a scrappy Brooklyn-based generalist and community builder with a love for helping her friends make their dreams come true! She has experience in event production, campaign management, and social impact strategy. If there's a cause she believes in, she will find a way to be useful. She is a graduate of NYU and the Yale School of Public Health. Blake is so grateful to be even a small part of bringing DOUGHBOYS to Fringe.

ABOUT THE DRUNK JESTER PLAYERS

TICKET INFORMATION

• Venue: Greenside @ Riddles Court - Thistle Theater
• Dates: Friday, August 7 – Saturday, August 22
• Time: All shows at 18:25. There will be no performance on Sunday, August 16.
• Running time: 60 minutes
• Website: doughboysplay.com
• Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/doughboys

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