Longtime Topanga resident and actor, Eric Pierpoint, is to star as one of two leads in the world premiere of Parallel Process, a powerful new war drama (written and directed by David Kohner Zuckerman), at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles. In conjunction with the 50th year anniversary of America’s involvement in Vietnam, Parallel Process will debut on September 19th, 2025, with the intention of honoring the vets who served our country half a century ago.
The play is about two estranged brothers—Dennis (played by Alan McRae), a respected clinical psychologist, and Bobby (played by Eric Pierpoint), a former District Attorney—who are reunited decades after serving together in Vietnam. Bobby’s unexpected arrival forces them to confront the brutal childhood and wartime trauma they’ve long buried, along with a devastating shared secret that could shatter the life Dennis has built. As the night unfolds, their reunion becomes a tense battle of wills, peeling back layers of guilt, betrayal, and the moral injuries that still bleed long after the war’s end.
Eric Pierpoint is widely known for his starring role in the television series, Alien Nation. Pierpoint has been in feature films including Liar Liar, The World’s Fastest Indian, Holes, and The Bad Guardian, and has had recurring roles in TV shows such as Parks and Recreation, Big Love, Star Trek, and Hill Street Blues. His extensive stage work includes The Lion in Winter, Richard III, and A Streetcar Named Desire. He is also a writer, and award-winning author of Middle Grade historical fiction. Pierpoint has currently been doing research for the play, working with veterans in Topanga, including John Stehelin and Larry Wilson. Parallel Process examines what so many vets have experienced; PTSD is a common theme in so many of their lives and is shown in dramatic fashion in the play. Parallel Process has received much praise from veterans who have read the script.
Parallel Process’ writer and director, David Kohner Zuckerman, is a veteran filmmaker whose credits include A Perfect Christmas, Strictly Sexual, and Chump Change. “We’ve told plenty of stories about the battles abroad,” says Zuckerman, of the play’s content. “This one is about the battle that happens after you come home—the one fought in your own mind, your relationships, and your sense of who you are. Marking fifty years since America’s involvement in Vietnam is more than historical recognition—it’s a reminder that we’re still reckoning with that legacy today.”
Parallel Process opens on Friday, September 19, with performances continuing on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm, through October 26. Tickets are $39 for reserved seating, and a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Vietnam Veterans of America. The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90025.
For more information, visit www.ParallelProcessThePlay.com
Or find Eric Pierpoint at https://ericpierpoint.com/
