Acting Thompson made her
Broadway debut in 1977, appearing as Pepper in the original run of
Annie at the
Neil Simon Theatre. She remained with the company through 1983. From 1980 to 1982, Thompson starred as Dee Johnson on the
NBC sitcom
Harper Valley, playing the on-screen daughter of
Barbara Eden. She later made guest appearances on various televisions series, including
CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984),
Law & Order (1997),
Law & Order: SVU (2002),
Ed (2002), and
Third Watch (2003). Thompson's work in film included roles in
Twelve Months (1980),
Little Darlings (1980),
Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), and
The Out-of-Towners (1999). In 1991 Thompson appeared
Off-Broadway in a new adaption of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at
Soho Rep. She understudied the role of Maria in the 1995 Broadway revival of
Ruth Goetz's
The Heiress at the
James Earl Jones Theatre. She later appeared as Belle in the 1998 Broadway revival of
Eugene O'Neill's
Ah, Wilderness! at
Lincoln Center Theater. In the early 2000s, Thompson joined
The Actors Company Theatre, an Off-Broadway troupe dedicated to presenting "rarely produced plays of literary merit." There she appeared in productions of
Anita Loos'
Happy Birthday (2002),
Graham Greene's
The Potting Shed (2003),
Christopher Durang's
The Marriage of Bette and Boo (2003), and
Maxwell Anderson's
Both Your Houses (2005). Thompson was a co-founder and later Producing Director of
River Rep Theatre Co., a professional theatre in
Ivoryton, Connecticut that offered traditional summer-stock for 20 seasons from 1985 to 2005. There Thompson appeared in more than 40 productions as an actor. She later transitioned to directing full-time.
Directing Thompson made her Off-Broadway directorial debut with
Tennessee Williams'
The Eccentricities of a Nightingale, produced by
The Actors Company Theatre (TACT) at the
Harold Clurman Theater from April 27 – May 24, 2008. The production was named a "Critics' Pick" by
The New York Times, and had a sold-out run. Later that same year, Thompson returned to direct
Alan Ayckbourn's
Bedroom Farce for TACT at the
Samuel Beckett Theatre from October 5 – November 8, 2008. The production was also a "Critics' Pick" from
The New York Times. In 2009, Thompson directed the world premiere of the musical
Seeing Stars at the
Theatre At St Clements as part of the
New York Musical Theatre Festival. Later that same year, Thompson directed
Sidney Howard's
The Late Christopher Bean for TACT at the Samuel Beckett Theatre from November 1 – December 12. In 2010, Thompson directed
Václav Havel's
The Memorandum for TACT at the Samuel Beckett Theatre from October 25 – November 27. In 2011, Thompson was named Co-Artistic Director of
The Actors Company Theatre, joining
Simon Jones and
Cynthia Harris. That same year, she directed productions of Pamela Gien's
The Syringa Tree for
Portland Stage Company;
Michael Frayn's
Noises Off for Dorset Theatre Festival; and Matthew Schneck's
The Ping and the Pang for
Hartford Stage. In 2012, Thompson directed a much lauded revival of
Neil Simon's
Pulitzer Prize-winning play
Lost in Yonkers for TACT at the
Samuel Beckett Theatre from March 13 – April 14. The production was named a "Critics' Pick" by
The New York Times, and was nominated for the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play. Additionally, Thompson was a finalist for the
Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation's Joseph A. Callaway Award for Excellence in Directing. That same year, she directed Holly Webber's
Pratfalls for Ground Up Productions at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre from April 27 – May 19, and
Marc Camoletti's
Boeing Boeing for Dorset Theatre Festival from July 1 – 28. In 2013, Thompson directed productions of
Philip Barry's
The Philadelphia Story for
Pioneer Theatre Company;
Neil Simon's
Barefoot in the Park for Dorset Theatre Festival; and
Beth Henley's
Abundance for
Hartford Stage. The latter production earned her a
Connecticut Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Direction of a Play. In 2014, Thompson directed productions of
George Brant's
Grounded for
City Theatre;
David Ives'
All in the Timing for Dorset Theatre Festival;
Christopher Durang's
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike for
Denver Center Theatre Company; and
Rick Elice's
Peter and the Starcatcher for
Pioneer Theatre Company. In 2015, she directed
Beth Henley's
Abundance for TACT at the
Samuel Beckett Theatre from February 17 – March 28. The production was named a "Critics' Pick" by
The New York Times. Later that same year, Thompson directed
Neil Simon's
Lost in Yonkers for
Barrington Stage Company; and
Patrick Hamilton's
Angel Street for
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. In 2016, she directed Hazel Ellis'
Women Without Men for
Mint Theater Company at
New York City Center from January 30 – March 26. The production, which featured an all female cast and creative team, received widespread critical acclaim.
Women Without Men was nominated for two
Lucille Lortel Awards including
Outstanding Revival, five
Drama Desk Awards including
Outstanding Revival of a Play and
Outstanding Direction of a Play, and the Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play Revival. Later that same year, Thompson directed
Tanya Barfield's
The Call at
TheaterWorks;
Nina Raine's
Tribes at
Barrington Stage Company; and
Bye Bye Birdie at
Goodspeed Musicals. The later production earned her a
Connecticut Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Direction of a Musical. In 2017, Thompson directed the World Premiere of Jeff Talbott's ''The Grave Digger's Lullaby'' for TACT at the
Samuel Beckett Theatre from February 28 – April 1. Later that same year, she directed
Marsha Norman and
Lucy Simon's
The Secret Garden for
Denver Center Theatre Company;
Lauren Gunderson's
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley at
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; and
Rodgers and Hammerstein's
Oklahoma! at
Goodspeed Musicals, which earned Thompson another
Connecticut Critics Circle Award nomination. In 2018, Thompson directed a much lauded production of
Miles Malleson's
Conflict for
Mint Theater Company. The play was named a "Critics' Pick" by
The New York Times, and had a sold-out run. That same year, she directed
Peter Oswald's
Mary Stuart for
Chicago Shakespeare Theater. In 2019, Thompson directed
Stephen Sondheim and
James Lapine's
Into the Woods for
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and
Meredith Wilson's
The Music Man at Goodspeed Musicals. Both production shared the distinction of "Best Musical of 2019" from
The Wall Street Journal. In 2022, She directed two new musicals:
Diary of A Wimpy Kid: The Musical for
Children's Theatre Company; and
Anne of Green Gables for Goodspeed Musicals. That same year, she directed the
Off-Broadway revival of
Elizabeth Baker's
Chains for
Mint Theater Company from June 7 to July 23. From 2022 to 2023, Thompson directed the National Tour of
Annie, which played 44 venues across the United States. Thompson directed additional tours from 2023 to 2024, which played 48 venues; and 2024 to 2025, which played 25 venues, including a month-long engagement at
Madison Square Garden, starring
Whoopi Goldberg as
Miss Hannigan. The production was named a "Critic's Pick" by
The New York Times. In 2023, Thompson directed a production of
Gypsy at
Goodspeed Musicals. In 2024, she directed
Sam Shepard's
True West at Arizona Theatre Company; and
Howard Ashman and
Alan Menken's
Little Shop of Horrors at
South Coast Repertory. ==Personal life==