Ricky Martin, Smash Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron & More Honored at 2012 GLAAD Media Awards

Evita star Ricky Martin and Broadway producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Hairspray, Chicago, TV’s Smash) were among those honored at the 23rd annual GLAAD Media Awards on March 24. The awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives. Glee’s Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith hosted the event, which took place at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Broadway vets Bernadette Peters and John Stamos presented producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron with the Vito Russo Award, presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for the LGBT community.

The award for Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off-Broadway went to The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures by Tony Kushner, a co-presentation by Signature Theater Company and the Public Theater. Outstanding New York Theatre: Off-Off Broadway went to Southern Comfort, with a book and lyrics by Dan Collins and music by Julianne Wick Davis. Wendy Graf took home the Outstanding Los Angeles Theatre award for No Word in Guyanese for Me.

Evita’s Ricky Martin, the recipient of last year’s Vito Russo Award, was honored as an Outstanding Music Artist in the Spanish language category for his Música + Alma + Sexo. Lady Gaga was named Outstanding Music Artist for her album Born This Way. Among the other honorees were HBO’s Cinema Verite for Outstanding TV Movie Or Mini Series, Dancing with the Stars for Outstanding Reality Program and The New York Times’ Frank Bruni as Outstanding Newspaper Columnist.

Additional awards will be presented in Los Angeles on April 21 and in San Francisco on June 2.