Sarasota's Tanner wins TTB's Outstanding Actress award

   Sarasota's Katherine Michelle Tanner took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actress, Play at the 2013 Theatre Tampa Bay Awards Monday evening.

Tanner

   Tanner, whose last role around here was in "Time Stands Still" for Banyan Theater, won for her performance in "The Amish Project" at American Stage, in which she played all the characters -- men, women, and children -- in a terse drama based on the real-life slaughter of Amish schoolchildren. "The Amish Project" also won the award for Outstanding Production, Play. Anyone who saw "The Amish Project" would have to agree that Tanner's performance was a huge reason the play excelled. Todd Olson won awards for his direction and sound design for that play also.
   The Theatre Tampa Bay Awards are for professional theaters in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. This year. St. Petersburg theaters dominated. Out of 19 awards, freeFall Theatre shows and artists won 9 and American Stage won 6. A Simple Theatre and St. Petersburg Opera won one each.
   The awards ceremony was held at the Palladium in St. Petersburg.