Parallel Process at Odyssey Theatre

Fifty years after America’s involvement in Vietnam, Robert Reed Altman — son of legendary M*A*S*H director Robert Altman — is bringing a powerful new war drama to the stage. The world premiere of Parallel Process opens September 26 at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles and runs through November 2, 2025.

For Robert Reed Altman, the project carries a personal echo, “Fox Studios told my dad they wouldn’t do a movie about Vietnam — that it was too political,” he recalls. “They said it had to be about the Korean War. But if you look at M*A*S*H closely, you’ll see that it’s really about Vietnam. Indeed, those same unflinching themes of war’s hidden costs and the bonds between soldiers are at the heart of Parallel Process.”

Written and directed by David Kohner Zuckerman, Parallel Process draws authenticity from extensive conversations with the plays Executive Producer, Vietnam veteran Lt. Lewis Finocchio (Ret.) and many other veterans. “Every Vietnam Veteran carries a secret,” says Finocchio. “Parallel Process digs deeper than ever before into the lives of two brothers who served together and the horrible secret they have been carrying. It is a soul-touching revelation of the conflict and resolution experienced by two veterans in their lives today.”

The play is about two estranged brothers — Dennis, a respected clinical psychologist, and Bobby, 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.

One of the most respected historians of the Vietnam War, Col. Gregory Daddis (Ret.), a combat veteran and holder of the Melbern G. Glasscock Endowed Chair in American History at Texas A&M University, calls the play “a powerful story of how wars endure long after the final shots are fired.” LcPl. Ken Rodgers (Ret.) agrees, describing it as “an apt display of moral injury… intense” in its portrayal of the lifelong battles and self-incrimination that haunt combat veterans.

The cast features Alan McRae (The West Wing) as Dennis; Tom Jenkins (Oppenheimer) as Bobby; Vincent Gumbs (Angels in America) as Sam; Anabella Raye (FBI, daughter of actress Sela Ward) as Amanda; Peter Zizzo (Billions, Outrage) as Peterson; and Amy Biedel (The Midnight Club, Mamma Mia) as Colleen.

Parallel Process opens on Friday, September 26, with performances continuing on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. through November 2; $39 Reserved Seating. 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.