THE REINDEER AND I Makes World Premiere with Katherine Michelle Tanner

Award-winning playwright and actor, Katherine Michelle Tanner, brings one of her most personal stories to the stage this holiday season with the world premiere of The Reindeer and I, an autobiographical one-woman play written by and starring Tanner and directed by Sarasota-favorite, Blake Walton.

Presented by Tree Fort Productions Studio Theatre, the limited engagement runs November 27 through December 13, 2026, in Sarasota.

The Reindeer and I follows a woman navigating cancer, loss, and the journey toward motherhood. When circumstances lead her to accept a seasonal job at a mall ornament kiosk, what begins as an ordinary distraction becomes an unexpected source of connection, self-discovery, and hope.

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

While Tanner has frequently drawn inspiration from her own experiences, relationships, and personal history in her writing, The Reindeer and I marks a significant first in her career: a theatrical work drawn almost entirely from her own life, with Tanner portraying a version of herself onstage.

"What inspired me to finally write this particular story came out of a very simple question I asked myself, 'If not now, when?'" said Tanner. Tanner, who has kept personal journals for more than three decades, estimates that approximately 12 notebooks chronicle her experiences surrounding the ornament kiosk. Although she frequently entertained friends and family with humorous stories from that time in her life, she had never shared the full experience publicly.

Following another health scare a little over a year ago, Tanner committed to revisiting those memories and began writing. What she initially approached as a two-month creative experiment resulted in a completed script in just four weeks.

An accomplished performer whose credits include acclaimed one-woman productions such as The Amish Project and Mann's Last Dance, Tanner is no stranger to carrying a theatrical production on her own. However, The Reindeer and I presents a new artistic challenge as she balances the roles of playwright, performer, and the real-life inspiration behind the story.

"I feel like an Artistic Athlete where both myself as an actor and as a woman are growing and building strength at the same time," Tanner shared. "I am becoming more open and resilient as a human being, which makes me more open and resilient as an actor, writer, producer, and ultimately, artist. I get to take the audience on this incredible journey because I have already lived it. It is brave; it is bold; and it is an honor to share this play with the Sarasota audiences.'

TICKETS

Advance purchase is highly recommended. They can be purchased online at: https://bit.ly/4ySbqdo