Neil Meron & Craig Zadan to be Honored at GLAAD Media Awards, 3/24

The 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Saturday, March 24. SMASH producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan will be honored with the Vito Russo Award.

Stars set to attend the awards include Megan Hilty, Ellen Barkin,Cory Monteith, Kim Cattrall, Tracey Gold, Jay Manuel, Dakota Fanning, Padma Lakshmi, Kim Wayans, Martha Plimpton,  Gilles Marini, Carson Kressley and Ted Allen.

Neil Meron and Craig Zadan began at The Public Theater working for Joseph Papp. Zadan also wrote the acclaimed book Sondheim and Co. They recently produced the Tony® Award winning Promises, Promises on Broadway and are currently represented with the Tony® Award winning How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette. Their films have garnered six Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, 11 Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards and a Grammy Award. Their feature films include "Chicago" (Six Oscars including Best Picture), Hairspray, The Bucket List, and Footloose. Their television projects (69 Emmy nominations) include: "Gypsy", "Cinderella", "Annie", "The Music Man", "Life With Judy Garland", "Martin and Lewis", "Serving In Silence", "The Beach Boys", "Brian's Song", "The Three Stooges", "The Reagans", "A Raisin In The Sun", plus the hit television series "Drop Dead Diva." They are currently producing with Steven Spielberg the new NBC television drama "Smash," about the behind-the-scenes creation of a Broadway musical.

The GLAAD Media Awards fund GLAAD's work to bring stories of LGBT people and issues to Americans. Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 supporters to raise funds for the organization's work.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, visit www.glaad.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos