DU Theatre Faculty Earn Top Honors at Colorado’s Henry Awards
Rick Barbour and Anne Penner at the 2025 Henry Awards. Courtesy photo.
The University of Denver and the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) celebrates Rick Barbour, DU professor emeritus of theatre, who recently won a Henry Award this summer for "Outstanding Director of a Play" due to his exceptional work on the production of "Grounded" by George Brant. The Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company produced the play in 2024.
Additionally, DU professor of theatre and Barbour's collaborator, Anne Penner, also won a Henry Award for "Outstanding Performer in a Play," making "Grounded" a two-time award winner at Colorado's annual professional theatre awards ceremony.
Established in 2006, the Henry Awards honor outstanding achievements during the past theatre season in Colorado and serves as the Colorado Theatre Guild’s annual fundraising event. The awards are named for longtime local theatre producer Henry Lowenstein. Nominations are determined through a judging process conducted by more than 100 statewide peer professionals, academics/educators and other theatre lovers. This year's competition was particularly rigorous, with judges reviewing 170 productions from 57 theatre companies statewide.
This well-deserved recognition exemplifies the continued excellence and impact of theatre faculty members at DU in Colorado's professional theatre community. Congratulations to Rick Barbour and Anne Penner!
