Written and Directed by Jeanmarie Simpson
Based on the life and memoirs of S. Brian Willson
Performed by Mathew Zimmerer
The train took his legs. Not his voice.
Inspired by the extraordinary life of peace activist and Vietnam veteran S. Brian Willson, On Track is a powerful solo performance about war, conscience, survival, and the lifelong search for justice.
Performance Schedule
Friday, February 12 – 4:00 PM
Saturday, February 13 – 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 14 – 2:00 PM
Wednesday, February 17 – 12:00 PM
Thursday, February 18 – 2:00 PM
Sunday, February 21 – 3:00 PM
Monday, February 22 – 12:00 PM
Monday, February 22 – 2:00 PM
Wednesday, February 24 – 12:00 PM
Thursday, February 25 – 2:00 PM
Sunday, February 28 – 3:00 PM
All performances are free as part of the inaugural Glendale International Fringe Festival.
At a Glance
Genre: Solo Drama
Running Time: Approximately 60 minutes
Recommended Audience: Adults
Admission: Free
Venue: Glendale Main Library
About the Production
Raised to believe in patriotism, duty, and the American Dream, Brian Willson served as an Air Force officer during the Vietnam War. What he witnessed there transformed him, setting him on a lifelong path of peace activism and moral resistance.
On September 1, 1987, while attempting to block a munitions train carrying weapons destined for Central America, Willson was struck by the train, losing both legs. He survived—and devoted the decades that followed to bearing witness against war and violence.
Written with Willson’s permission and cooperation, On Track is not simply the story of one remarkable life. It is a deeply human exploration of conscience, trauma, accountability, forgiveness, and the enduring possibility of transformation.
About the Play
Drawing directly from Brian Willson’s memoirs and extensive conversations with the playwright, On Track was developed over more than two decades. Rather than presenting a conventional biography, Jeanmarie Simpson has crafted what she describes as an “autoparable”—a theatrical work that allows memory, testimony, and multiple voices to inhabit a single performer while remaining rooted in the lived experience of one extraordinary individual.
About the Playwright
Jeanmarie Simpson is an internationally recognized playwright, actor, director, and human rights advocate whose work frequently explores history, peace, justice, and the complexities of the human condition.
She has spent more than twenty years developing On Track in collaboration with S. Brian Willson, creating a work that honors both historical truth and theatrical artistry.
About S. Brian Willson
S. Brian Willson is a Vietnam veteran, attorney, peace activist, and author whose lifelong commitment to nonviolence emerged from his experiences during and after the Vietnam War.
His decision to place his body in front of a munitions train in 1987 became an internationally recognized act of civil resistance. Although the collision resulted in the loss of both legs and a severe brain injury, Willson continued his work for peace and justice for decades afterward.
Cast
Mathew Zimmerer — Brian Willson
Mathew Zimmerer
Mathew is an actor whose work spans musical, classical, and contemporary stages. Roles include Gyp DeCarlo in Jersey Boys (The Phoenix Theatre Co.); Walt in A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay about the Death of Walt Disney (iTheatre Collaborative); Stone in City of Angels; R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He also played Father in Ragtime. For ATM, he played Alonso/ Stephano in 2024’s The Tempest. Another role was Cloten in Cymbeline (Southwest Shakespeare). He portrayed Victor in The Price (Arizona Jewish Theatre). In Lobby Hero (Actors Theatre, Phoenix), he was Bill. Additionally, he played Reuven in The Chosen (Arizona Jewish Theatre) and Bill Wilson in Bill W. and Dr. Bob (Broadway Palm West); and Harold Hill in The Music Man (TheaterWorks, Peoria). Screen and commercial work includes Fox’s America’s Most Wanted, national/regional campaigns for Hershey’s, Skipper’s, and Boyd’s Coffee, and narration/industrials for Boeing’s Office Safety series and Microsoft.
Content Information
This production contains depictions and discussion of war, military violence, trauma, death, moral injury, amputation, disability, and political conflict.
The play also includes discussions of childhood abuse, racism, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional consequences of war.
Content information is provided to help audiences make informed decisions and is not intended to define individual experiences of the work.
Part of the Glendale International Fringe Festival
The Glendale International Fringe Festival celebrates independent artists whose work invites audiences into meaningful encounters with complex ideas, bold storytelling, and artistic discovery.
Admission to every GIFF performance is free.
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