Park Road Playhouse founder Howard Hirsch, 77, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014, with his family by his side. Howard leaves his wife of 58 years, Lin, and three daughters, six granddaughters, two great grandsons, and a great granddaughter.

By Joy Taylor

Lisa Steier, Howard Hirsch and Miriam Neiman at the Heart Walk in 2001. Photo courtesy of Lisa Steier.

Howard played a significant role in revitalizing West Hartford’s Park Road neighborhood, when, in 1999, he fulfilled his lifelong ambition to build a local theater. With strong community support, he raised the funds to transform an unused garage on the A.C. Petersen Farms restaurant site to create the Park Road Playhouse.

Howard was the executive and artistic director for the playhouse from 1999 to 2008. The theater space is now occupied by the Playhouse on Park. Darlene Ponist Zoller,  co-artistic director of Playhouse on Park, commented on a Facebook thread about Howard: “Rest in Peace, Howard. We all owe you a debt of gratitude. I’m sure he’ll be in Heaven making plans to entertain the masses! He had great vision and I will always be grateful for the opportunities he gave me.”

In 1996 Howard had a significant scare when he was in the hospital for a minor procedure and something went terribly wrong. He suddenly found himself undergoing a 10-hour emergency heart transplant operation that saved his life. It should be noted that his heart donor was female. Howard liked to chuckle at the fact that until the arrival of his first great grandchild (a boy), he was surrounded by women inside and out!

To know Howard was to know a “force of nature.” He had drive and perseverance and not a day went by when he didn’t feel grateful for his second chance.  At the time of his death, Howard was the artistic director of the Farmington Valley Stage Company. 

As seen in the Hartford Courant on 9/14/14: “Donations can be made to the Transplant Department at Hartford Hospital. To donate, call or email (860) 972-2322 or email [email protected] Shiva will be held September 14th -16th from 1-3pm, and 7-9pm at 836 Mountain Rd. West Hartford.”