Tanner was born in San Francisco, Ca. Growing up he acted in 3rd grade, summer camp, and children's theatre programs. In High School he had the opportunity to play Mr. Depinna in You Can't Take It with You, Albert Feather in Ladies in Retirement, Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Peter in The Zoo Story.

He began actively pursuing an acting career at age 20. His first time on the professional stage was in the role of Barnaby Tucker in Hello Dolly with the Marin Civic Light Opera. He was actually cast as an understudy but the actor who was originally cast dropped out and he was put into the role. He continued to work with them in three other shows: Yonkers in Gypsy!, The Barber in The Man of La Mancha and Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls.

While he was living in Santa Rosa, Ca. he was involved with the Santa Rosa Players. This is where he received the bulk of his acting experience. He played Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls, Officer Brophy in Arsenic and Old Lace, The Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol, Leroy Herdman in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Gregor in Mame, and Buck Huckster in Oklahoma!
Between shows with S.R.P. He worked with other companies around Northern California and did such roles as The Military in Evita, Yellowfeather in Little Mary Sunshine, Angelo in Boys from Syracuse, and Sonny LaTierri in Grease.

Right before he did his last show with the Santa Rosa Players he worked on two films: Peggy Sue Got Married and Smooth Talk. Both were great experiences. He loved working with Francis Ford Coppola even though he was an extra. He was able to spend a few minutes talking to Kathleen Turner. She was very nice and pleasant. He just loved her.

Oklahoma! was the last show he did in Northern California before moving to Santa Maria, Ca to attend P.C.P.A., a two-year acting conservatory program. The training was fantastic. Some of his most inspirational teachers were Jim Edmunson, Jon Daly, Gale Fury-Child and Brad Carroll. He wasn't lucky to land any speaking roles while he studied there. He did, however, learn to play many types of animals in the Mainstage productions including: Rat #1 in Cinderella, The Richard III Gnome in Into the Woods and the piece de resistance, Nikko the Flying Monkey in Wizard of OZ.

After graduation, he headed off to St. Louis where he went to Webster University for a year. Honestly, he hated St. Louis. For one reason alone: Landlocked. it was also the first time in my life that he was held up at gun point while working at Pizza Hut on Halloween. That’s a story that deserves its own webpage.
From St. Louis its off to Chicago. Which He absolutely loved. He attended Roosevelt University for two years. Roles at that school were the Ensemble in The Robber Bridegroom, Schnozzles in Snoops and Schnozzles, where He played the pet dog for a bunch of Teenage Sleuths and yes it was the lead. It was rewarding to have to learn how to catch treats in his mouth and tap dance wearing a huge bulky dog costume. But seriously, his favorite role there was Dopey in Balm of Gilead. He was challenged with portraying a heroin addicted hustler. He shaved his head for the role and felt it was his best work to date. He graduated from Roosevelt University in 1994.

With his degree in hand, He started auditioning in Chicago. He landed a few good roles: The Old Man in Electra, Meton and Herakles in The Birds with TinFish Theatre. Rickie Roscoe in Seven Dates with Seven Writers written by Paula Kamen at the Chicago Dramatists Workshop and Norman Bates in a staged reading of Psycho: The American Musical, written by the very talented Christopher Winslow. He also landed a few bad roles well really only one he can think of. It was so bad He can’t remember his character’s name.

For the next 5 years He started his Children’s Touring Theatre Career. He toured around with several companies. Some were great and some were not. But none the less it was experience. In a Chicago based company He had the opportunity to play Robin Hood in Robin Hood and Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He worked with National Theatre for Children in Minneapolis and did The Three Little Pics in Too Smart to Smoke and The White Rabbit in Alice in Waterland and He worked with Kids Matter, Inc in the show Manners and Social Graces. But one of the best companies to date was Poetry Alive, Inc. they brought poetry from the page to the stage in 4 forty-five minute shows geared towards grades K- 2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12. He loved it. They are a great company and treat you great every step of the way.

Between working with Poetry Alive He also was working in the Smoky Mountains of Cherokee North Carolina in the Summer Stock Outdoor Drama Unto These Hills playing the traitorous Elias Boudinot.

In 2005, he graduated with his Masters in Fine Arts from the Actors Studio Drama School. While he was there he studies under Ellen Barkin, Arthur Storch, Ron Leibman and Elizabeth Kemp. After graduating he developed two cabaret shows: "Reflections of a Dream", performed at Pieces Cabaret Room in 2005 and "Can You Hold? That's My Life Calling" at Danny's Grand Sea Palace in 2006.

He traveled with National Theatre of Arts and Education with the show Barber of Seville playing Bartholo, the manipulating custodian of Rosina. The play was performed in Spanish and English. He can't speak Spanish and had to memorize it by rote.

In 2006, he headed the Drama Program in Brooklyn, NY for Oasis Children's Camp, teaching under priviledged children theatre. He co-directed a very shortened version of The Wiz.

In 2007, he headed the Drama Program for camp Regis-Applejack in the Adirondack Mountains. It was an experience he will never forget and hopes to someday go back and work again. While there he directed "Little Shop of Horrors" playing Mushnik and the voice of Aufrey II. He also directed musical excerpts from "Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat".

While working at camp Regis-Applejack, he was offered an Edutainer position at English Village in Paju, South Korea. He arrived in September 2007 and immediately went on as the understudy as Billy in The Coyote Monster. He performed for the remainder of the run. He also used his physical comedy skills in Vera's Diner as Hana, the little old lady with spunk.

In 2008, he became Artistic Director of the Edutainer Department. Since then he has produced 12 mainstage shows, 6 game shows, written 4 scripts, created 2 "Children Day" shows and developed a two-week drama training program for Elementary teachers in South Korea.

When he returns back to the states, he will once again pursue his acting career and hopes his experiences will gain him more theatrical work.