Ellen Barkin, Megan Hilty to Attend NY GLAAD Awards, Neil Meron, Craig Zadan Get Honors

Ellen Barkin and Megan Hilty are among the expected guests at the 23rd GLAAD Media Awards, while producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan will be honored with the Vito Russo Award. Other expected guests at the New York awards include Kim Cattrall, Tracey Gold, Cory Monteith, Jay Manuel, and Dakota Fanning, with performances from the Radio City Rockettes, Corey Craig and Whitney Day. The Los Angeles awards will feature Ellen Degeneres, Fran Dresher, Anna Paquin and Betty White.

Zadan and Meron, the producers of SMASH, have also produced film versions of Chicago, Hairspray, The Music Man, and Gypsy. Megan Hilty's stage credits include Broadway's Wicked and 9 to 5. She also stars on television's SMASH.

According to its website, Held in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco with over 5,000 attendees, the GLAAD Media Awards bring celebrities, corporate partners, media professionals, and young adults together in support of GLAAD’s mission to amplify the voice of the LGBT community and achieve full equality. 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.

The New York awards will be held March 24. Los Angeles awards are on April 21, and San Francicsco awards are on June 2. Visit www.glaad.org for more information.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos