Composer Jerry Herman will host a fundraiser at his Los Angeles home on Nov. 5 to benefit the newly created ASCAP Foundation Jerry Herman Legacy Series. Herman, the composer of Hello Dolly!, Mame and La Cage Aux Folles) helped create the series and plans to be personally involved with the educational initiative to present America's musical theatre heritage to young audiences.

In an initial effort to pass a sense of musical theatre heritage to young people, Herman will help raise money for the newly created series. The timing of Herman's benefit reception coincides with the Nov. 8 concert production of Herman's "favorite among his own musicals," Mack and Mabel. Reprise! Broadway's Best will present Mack and Mabel on Wed., Nov. 8 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. That production will star Douglas Sills, Jane Krakowski and Donna McKechnie.

In anticipation of the event, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan has proclaimed Nov. 5 as "Jerry Herman Day" in Los Angeles. The entertainment for the reception at Herman's home will feature Jason Graae, Karen Morrow and Herman, himself.

The ASCAP Foundation reports that its Jerry Herman Legacy Series "will kick off at schools in San Francisco and San Jose, California in March 2001. The series will feature performances, seminars and master classes with Jerry Herman and notable musical theater performers."

The 20-year-old ASCAP Foundation has numerous programs it funds and/or administers. It's annual workshops for music creators include the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theater Workshop in New York and the ASCAP Foundation/Disney Musical Theater Workshop in Los Angeles. Grammy and Oscar-winning composer-lyricist, Stephen Schwartz heads both workshops. For tickets and information about the ASCAP Foundation Jerry Herman Legacy Series call (310) 397-1414. For information about the ASCAP Foundation visit www.ascapfoundation.org.

-- By Murdoch McBride