I was heartbroken to learn that the baby-daddy of my first 2 solo shows has died… Director Richard Embardo is one of the reasons I’m an actress (& 100% why I’m a writer/producer) today. I remember meeting him, thinking, “horray, I finally know someone in Hollywood!” And while our projects together never opened any Hollywood-doors directly, his encouragement & guidance are what kept me in the game. I feel so blessed to have had him in my life, albeit teased that it wasn’t for longer. He will be with me always: at the computer hounding story-structure, backstage psyching me up, and in the audience laughing like he’d never heard these jokes, in spite of having wordsmithed them himself. What a massive contribution he made to my life— I wouldn’t be the same person without him. (#photosby Phil Nee, taken closing night of #milesfrommyself, which I produced & performed w/ Janice Bremec Blum. We gave him a computer that night—hence his surprise— which is still the nicest gift I’ve ever given; but also, he was the absolute most deserving.) #RIP