An unbreakable soldier. An unwinnable war. On the 100th anniversary of World War One, Iron Age Theatre presents the dynamic premiere of the remarkable journey of a German Jewish soldier who survives the deadliest battles of the Great War, only to learn the devastating truth about its origins. Directed by Jim Christy.

$20 / 90 minutes

Born from the fires of Villanova University’s graduate program in the 1980s, Iron Age Theatre has been producing in the Philadelphia Region since 1993 as the company produced the premiere of TUNNEL by Randall Wise in the Rotunda at Eastern State Penitentiary. The company staged “Voices of Rebellion” as part of the original 1994 Bastille Day Celebration. In 1996 Iron Age began to work as the resident company at Norristown’s professional theatrical venue, The Centre Theater. The company has produced more than 30 productions at that facility in the intervening years while maintaining a regular presence in Philadelphia both at the Fringe since 2002 and in other venues. The company’s production of Marx in Soho has been performed over 180 times across the nation since its premiere in 2004. Iron Age Theatre has been developing new plays as well as working with challenging classics. The company produced regional or national premieres every season including plays developed through the PDC@IRONAGE residency program. In the Spring of 2015, the company began a full move into Philadelphia. Iron Age is focused on issues of social justice and respect for human dignity. Questioning the abuses of power in our society and asserting the importance of compassion and equality, Iron Age, under the direction of John Doyle, presents relevant, revolutionary plays.

The company’s credits include: Premiers by local playwrights: The Life and John Henry (Chris Braak), Red Emma, (Chris Braak), TUNNEL (Randall Wise), Waiting for the Ship from Delos (Steve Hatzai), Citizen Paine (Bill Hollenbach), Up From the Ashes (Kate McGrath) Mana (Ray Saraceni), Maroons (Ray Saraceni), Toughest Boy in Philly (Andrea Kennedy Hart); Premieres by national playwrights: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Jeffrey Hatcher)), Shakesploitation (Andy Grigg), Molumby’s Million (DW Gregory); International classics: The Emperor Jones, The Rear Column, Waiting for Godot Cripple of Innishmaan A Skull in Connemara, Elephant Man, Moon for the Misbegotten, Moby Dick Rehearsed, Fool for LoveDutchman (performed at the African American Museum and featured on the cover of Theatre Journal), Of Mice and Men and Terra Nova. Iron Age Theatre has received Barrymore nominations for Outstanding Ensemble in Terra Nova and Best Lead Actor in The Elephant Man. As City Paper’s Mark Cofta put so eloquently: “Iron Age Theatre keeps defying the odds, producing quality plays with loving care.” Toby Zinman of The Philadelphia Inquirer said about the company’s last foray into dramatic history: “ Iron Age Theatre has found a perfect venue for this intellectually satisfying play. The issues are relevant enough: freedom of thought and civic responsibility. What a pleasure to see a Fringe show that takes serious ideas seriously. View Iron Age Theatre’s work here!