“Here I stand!” Exclaims the revolutionary monk Martin Luther, and the storm he creates splits the world in “Luther,” John Osborne’s dazzling play about the Reformation.

The play is running November 2-through 19 at the Emanuel Lutheran Church, 1001 South 4th Street in Philadelphia. Showtime is 8 p.m. for all performances. Tickets are $12 and $15.

“Luther” is the true story of the rebellious priest Martin Luther, who went to war with the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire. A driving, theatrical epic about the Reformation, the play is a profound and very human look at Luther’s own burning struggles with faith, God and family. Luther is a towering figure whose battles to reform the church created shock waves we still feel today. Luther’s struggles are played out against a brilliant tapestry of events and characters including the sleazy indulgence-selling priest John Tetzel; the armor-clad German knights who backed his revolt; the wealthy, manipulative Pope Leo and Luther’s own miner father.

“Luther” is being produced by Iron Age Theatre. The production marks a return to the city for the company and a return to environmental theatre. Iron Age produced the critically acclaimed dramas “The Interrogation of Nathan Hale,” at Fort Mifflin on the Delaware River and the hit play “Tunnel,” at historic Eastern State Penitentiary. Those productions used the environment of the fort and prison to bring the audience even deeper into the world of the plays. According to director John Doyle doing “Luther” at a church magnifies the significance of the play. “We’re in a place that exists because Luther fought the battles he did,” said Doyle.

The Emanuel Lutheran Church was built in 1868 and is a landmark Philadelphia building. It had one of the biggest and most influential congregations in Philadelphia at the turn of the century. It is an Evangelican Lutheran Church. The church itself is a large, neo-classical building. “The main sanctuary where we’re performing is showing its age a bit, “said Doyle, “But that only adds to the ambiance of the play, where the old order is crumbling and a new one being created.”

Just blocks from South Street, the Fleischer Art Memorial and the Mummers Museum the church is easily reached from I-95, I-676. There is plenty of free parking.

The heightened realisim of a site specific work is very appropriate to the dynamic style of playwright John Osborne. John Osborne is one of the greatest modern playwrights. The English author of plays such as “The Entertainer,” “Inadmissible Evidence,” and “A Patriot For Me,” Osborne created the “Angry Young Man” school of writing. His 1956 play “Look Back in Anger” redefined modern theatre. It launched a new realism in a theatre that had been hermetically sealed from true existence. The play was an earthshaking break from the polite “drawing room” drama that was then popular. Osborne wrote realistically about pain, squalor, anger and often featured stories about the lower classes. His muscular, earthy, often vulgar language combined with a soaring intellect created a new kind of poetry while exploring modern life and uncovering the hidden nobility of man.

The play stars Ray Saraceni as Luther. Mr. Saraceni has appeared in “Hamlet,” “Simpatico,” and “Heaven Can Wait.”

Also starring in “Luther” are Garrett Lee Hendricks as the indulgence-selling priest John Tetzel and Dordan Bivings as the Knight. Bayard Walker plays Vicar General Staupitz, Gene D'Alesandro plays the Pope. Bill Braak, Michael Dura and Gerre Garrett also appear.

Iron Age most recently produced the comedy classic “Heaven Can Wait” at the Montgomery County Cultural Center in Norristown. The company has produced the critically acclaimed productions of “Seventy Scenes of Halloween,: The Philadelphia premier of Sam Shepard’s “Simpatico,” and a new adaptation of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

“Luther” is co-sponsored by the Emanuel Luthern Church. With financial support from Robert Dettore and Dettore Associates, Pizzeria Uno and Fran Doyle. Rehearsal Space provided by The Centre Theatre.

For tickets and information about “Luther” call 610-962-9755