Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC), recently dubbed the 1997 Theatre Company of the Year by The Philadelphia Inquirer, announces its 1997-98 season featuring the American premiere of Naomi Wallace's Birdy, Nancy Marchand in Full Gallop, a play by Philly’s own Tom Donaghy, and the latest by David Rabe.

This year’s 22nd season line-up is as follows:

Full Gallop by Mark Hampton & Mary Louise Wilson (Oct. 31-Nov. 30)
An Obie award-winning one-woman show about a pivotal night in the life of fashion mogul Diana Vreeland. Obie winner Nancy Marchand portrays the legendary Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue editor. This is the first mounting outside of the acclaimed Manhattan Theatre Club production.

Minutes From the Blue Route by Tom Donaghy (Jan. 16-Feb. 15)
The Philly premiere of a comedy set in a suburban home just “minutes from the blue route”, tells the story of a young man who is summoned home by his parents to talk his younger sister out of leaving college.

A Question of Mercy by David Rabe (March 27-April 26)
Recently staged at New York Theatre Workshop, Mercy features a retired physician, asked to help in the assisted suicide of a dying man, struggles to reconcile his compassion to end suffering with his training to preserve life. Birdy by Naomi Wallace (June 4-28)
American premiere of Wallace’s (One Flea Spare, In the Heart of America) new play which traces the friendship between Birdy, a man obsessed with birds and Al, a man obsessed with body building. Birdy ran earlier this year in London’s West End and is adapted from a book by William Wharton.

For tickets and subscriptions to the Philadelphia Theatre Company season call (215)735-0631. For more information visit the Philadelphia Theatre Company at Playbill On-Line’s regional listings.

--By Sean McGrath