Bret Coley Harte ’02 died on March 21, 2005, in Moraga, California, as a result of an automobile accident.

Born on February 2, 1980, he prepared for college at Miramonte High School in Orinda, CA. At Bowdoin, he was honored as a Sarah and James Bowdoin Scholar and majored in both comparative religion and philosophy. He directed the Masque & Gown production of Hair in his senior year, along with the short plays “The Acytpor’s Nightmare” and “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You.” He was the recipient of the 1999 George H. Quinby ’23 Award and was the president of Masque & Gown in 2002. Following his graduation in 2002, he returned to California, where he held a number of jobs, including theatrical director. He acted in plays at the Moraga Playhouse and with Orinda’s Starlight Village Players and worked backstage for the Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Cal Shakespeare. He directed The Man Who Came to Dinner, Inherit the Wind, and Six Ives of November. At the time of his death he was directing a production of Mrs. Frederick for the San Leandro Players, and he had recently cast Rumors for the Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. Surviving are his parents, Dennis and Juanita Harte of Moraga, and his grandparents, Mrs. Willy Coley and Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Harte.