Harry Waters, Jr. created the role of Belize in the first production of Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes in 1991. He is most famous for his portrayal of Marvin Berry in Back to the Future (1985) which earned him a Gold record for his rendition of "Earth Angel." Acting Credits also include Adventures in Wonderland, and Big Bully as well as numerous television guest-starring roles. Born in Tulsa, and raised in Denver, Colorado, he attended Princeton University and received his MFA in Directing from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He worked as an actor in New York City on and off Broadway for many years as well as at theatres including Mark Taper Forum, Arizona Theater Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks, ACT and the San Jose Repertory Theatre. Currently in the Twin Cities, he has appeared on stages as diverse as The Guthrie, Penumbra Theater Company, Mixed Blood, Ten Thousand Things Theater, Pangea World Theatre and Park Square in RAGTIME as Coalhouse Walker Jr. Mr. Waters has directed numerous productions around the Twin Cities including YBGM for Queertopia and HOW TO BE A COMPLETE SOUTHERN WOMAN for the 2013 Fringe Festival; as well as productions around the country, including WAITING FOR GIOVANNI at New Conservatory Theatre Company in San Francisco 2011. He has worked as a Facilitator for the Many Voices Roundtable at The Playwrights' Center where he has inspired the careers of numerous emerging writers of color.
He is a Professor in the Theatre and Dance Department at Macalester College, where he has directed productions of RUNAWAYS, PROOF, ANGELS IN AMERICA PART I: Millennium Approaches, THE COLORED MUSEUM., TARTUFFE CABARET, THE LARAMIE PROJECT and a student devised piece call HIP HOP HOPES. WAITING FOR GIOVANNI by Jewelle Gomez in collaboration with Harry Waters Jr, was premiered at New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco, which he directed as well. This is a dream play about James Baldwin. He also worked with his son Jordon Waters, and gay rapper Kevin “Kaoz” Moore on AKA FATHERS/SONS sharing performative conversations about sexuality and sexual identity. The presentation moved throughout the Twin Cities, at various sites where fathers and sons participated in story circles. In 2013, Waters created the role of Fat Rev in the regional production of THE ROAD WEEPS, THE WELL RUNS DRY by Marcus Gardley at Pillsbury House Theatre, directed by Marion McClinton.