Actor /director Robert Delk Hirsh, who plays the Devil in Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale, is also the founder of Willamette STAGE Company. In a 2007 leap of faith and passion he gathered friends to share his vision and established the non-profit company, dedicated to creating provocative, professional live theatre experiences for local artists and audiences. This thriving professional company complements the many performing arts groups in the mid-Willamette Valley, delighting audiences and enriching our cultural scene.

For the STAGE, Robert has appeared in My Fair Lady (Henry Higgins), Rabbit Hole (Howie), and Blackbird (Ray), The Retreat from Moscow (Edward), Heroes (Gustave), The Goat (Martin), A Delicate Balance (Tobias), Frozen (Ralph), Honour (George), A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), and ‘Art’ (Serge). He also appeared in OSU Bard in the Quad productions as Leonato in 2007’s Much Ado About Nothing, and as The Voyeur in Romeo and Juliet, in 2006. Local roles also include Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind, Matt Friedman in Talley’s Folly, Jake in Jake’s Women, the title role in Macbeth, and Niels Bohr in Copenhagen. He followed the latter by playing Werner Heisenberg in Copenhagen at Lord Leebrick Theatre in Eugene. Other favorite roles in a long career include Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, James Tyrone, Sr. in Long Day’s Journey into Night, Sir Wilfred Robarts in Witness for the Prosecution, and Sandor Turai in The Play’s the Thing. Local directorial credits include Fiddler on the Roof, A Doll’s House, My Fair Lady, and Noises Off. Most recently for the STAGE, he directed John Kolvenbach's Love Song and David Mamet's Boston Marriage.

Robert began his professional life as a political scientist, received his theatre training at the University of Oregon, taught theatre at LBCC, and has appeared in dozens of industrial films and commercials in the Northwest.