The series will be held Mondays in March and will honor "the songwriters who kept the tradition of great American musicals and led Broadway into the second half of the 20th century." The series kicks off March 1 at 7 PM with "Harold Rome: He Made the Garment Center Sing." Rome's shows include Pins and Needles, Wish You Were Here and I Can Get It for You Wholesale. Contact's John Weidman will host the evening, which will include such tunes as "South America, Take It Away," "Nobody Makes a Pass at Me," "All of a Sudden My Heart Sings" and "Miss Marmelstein." Harold Arlen, who wrote the scores for Bloomer Girl, St. Louis Woman and House of Flowers, will be the subject of the March 8 program, titled "Harold Arlen: From Stormy Weather to Over the Rainbow." Historian Philip Furia will host, and song titles will include "Come Rain or Come Shine," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "Get Happy" and "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."

"Jule Styne: Everything's Coming Up Roses" is the title of the March 15 evening, which will include songs from High Button Shoes, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Funny Girl, Bells Are Ringing, Peter Pan and Gypsy. Music theatre historian Max Wilk hosts.

The series concludes March 22 with a benefit for The American Musicals Project. Cy Coleman will host the evening of his own music. Titled "Cy Coleman: The Best Gets Better," the program will include tunes from Sweet Charity, Little Me, On the 20th Century, The Will Rogers Follies, Wildcat, Barnum, The Life and City of Angels.

The New York Historical Society is located at 2 West 77th Street at Central Park West. Tickets are available by calling (212) 485-9269. For more information visit www.nyhistory.org.