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jay krottingerTony Award-Winning Producer | Co-Founder Jay Leland Krottinger has spent nearly two decades producing world-class entertainment, bringing unique expertise, creativity, and vision to the stage and screen. His lifelong passion for live performance began in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where as a child he watched the Tony Awards on his parents’ living room television and dreamed of one day conducting a Broadway orchestra or directing a show. That dream evolved into a celebrated producing career, helping to bring Broadway blockbusters and international hits to audiences worldwide. His productions have received Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Awards. Jay became a Tony voter and full member of The Broadway League in 2025. As co-founder of Tanninger Entertainment Jay's Broadway and West End producing credits include: The Queen of Versailles (2025); The Outsiders (2023, Tony Award-Winner, Best Musical); The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (2023, Tony Award-Nominee, Best Play Revival); Come From Away (2019 Olivier Award-Winner, Best Musical); Oklahoma! (2019, Tony Award-Winner, Best Musical Revival); Come From Away (2017, Tony Award-Nominee, Best Musical); Waitress (2016, Tony Award-Nominee, Best Musical); Memphis the Musical (2014 Olivier Award-Nominee, Best Musical); A Time to Kill (2014); Pippin (2013, Tony Award-Winner, Best Musical Revival). Film producing credits include: The Electric Body (2023, SOHO International Film Festival, Best Showcase Documentary-Nominee); and Sydney’s Second Chance (2028). Current developmental projects include Stone Roses, a new musical inspired by the work of poet laureate Linda Neal Reising, and Oh L’Amour – The Erasure Musical. He is also an active innovator in live performance technologies, developing patents to advance the future of stagecraft. Beyond entertainment, Jay is co-founder and COO of Tanninger Companies, a multi-sector investment firm with holdings in healthcare, hospitality and event management, real estate development, fund management, and live entertainment. He was recognized by Oklahoma Magazine's “Top 40 Under 40” for his entrepreneurial leadership. A graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma, Jay earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music, Business Administration, and Marketing. He was named the first Distinguished Alumnus of UCO’s School of Music and continues to serve on the College of Fine Arts & Design Advisory Board. In addition, he is Vice-Chair of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust, served as Interim Artistic Director of Theatre Tulsa, and was inducted into the Broken Arrow High School Music Hall of Fame in 2024. In early 2025, Jay was named the recipient of Tulsa CARES’ Patricia G. Chernicky Luminary Award—an honor he described as “one that far outweighs all others.” |
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Ryan Jude TanneRTony Award-Winning Producer | Co-Founder Ryan Tanner has always dreamed big—even when the odds were stacked against him. Born in Quincy, Illinois, to a 14-year-old mother, Ryan faced a future filled with daunting statistics and low expectations. But he refused to become a product of his environment. His life changed when his grandmother, “Nanny Jane,” raised him with fierce love and southern grit, working multiple jobs to provide him a stable home. Thanks to mentors like his music teacher, Ms. Dooley, and a neighbor, Mrs. Gates, who let him dream without judgment, Ryan began to see possibilities where others saw limits. Despite low grades and a 14 ACT score, he persisted in applying to hundreds of colleges. Rejected multiple times by the school of his dreams, Illinois College, Ryan refused to give up and eventually, his relentless determination won him admission. At Illinois College, Ryan struggled at first but turned things around with the support of Dr. Karen Dean. He graduated with a degree in political science, served as class president, and was honored to speak at commencement. Soon after, he was selected as a Dunn Fellow and worked in Illinois state government, including on the landmark “Death Row 10” clemency project. Dr. Dean and Ryan are still very close and both agree, "They are family!" Although Ryan once dreamed of becoming an attorney, his career took an unexpected turn. In 2003, he entered the medical device industry, quickly rising to sales manager and growing an Oklahoman Orthopedic distributorship to over $21 million in annual revenue for BIOMET, now known as Zimmer Biomet. In 2008, he co-founded IQ Surgical, later launching Tanninger Companies, a parent brand expanding across healthcare services, entertainment, commercial and residential development, hospitality, and Ecommerce. Tanner serves as co-founder and Chairman of the Board. But Ryan didn’t stop there. In 2012, he and his husband, Jay Krottinger, co-founded Square 1 Theatrics, producing the Kennedy Center Award-winning Flipside: The Patti Page Story. Their Broadway debut, Pippin, became the most-nominated show of 2013 and won four Tony's, including the Tony Award for Best Revival. More hits followed, including Memphis West End, Waitress, Come From Away, Oklahoma! and Outsiders. Three shows went on to receive the Tony Award: PIppin, Oklahoma!, and Outsiders. Tanninger’s productions have earned multiple Tony, Olivier and Grammy nominations and have grossed over $700 million in global box office sales. His newest Broadway project will open in late 2025, starring Christin Chenowth as the Queen of Versallies, with music and lyrics by Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz. In September of 2025, Broadway's Playbill reported that Tanninger Entertainment inked a deal with Sony Music for the worldwide musical stage rights to the music of Erasure. In film, Ryan served as a producer on A Very Sordid Wedding, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Leslie Jordan. In 2025, he produced the documentary the Body Electric by Tony Award-winner NIck Demos. Beyond business and the arts, Ryan is deeply committed to social justice. In 2013, his college alma mater honored him with its Young Alumnus Award. He gives back through mentorship, philanthropy, and support of literacy and LGBTQ+ initiatives. He regularly partnered with Illinois College on community engagement programs, ensuring kids today have access to the books he never had growing up. Ryan and Jay have supported a wide range of causes, including global education initiatives, poverty alleviation, and LGBTQ+ advocacy, Adams County United Way, as well as Quincy Public Schools. They’ve funded experiential learning opportunities for students and helped expand access to resources that weren’t available during Ryan’s own college years. Today Ryan travels the United States lecturing at both universities and non-profits. Ryan has served on numerous non-profit boards, including Tulsa Cares, the Philbrook Museum of Art, and the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. He has chaired the Red Ribbon Gala four times, helping raise over $7 million for Tulsa Cares. His contributions have earned him numerous honors, including: Oklahoma Magazine's “40 under 40" Tulsa World’s “Tulsans of the Year” Quincy Public Schools' Distinguished Alumni Honoree Tulsa Cares’ Patricia G. Chernicky Luminary Honoree Ryan currently lives in Tulsa and Quincy with Jay, staying grounded in gratitude—and still dreaming big. |
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Patricia G. ChernickyTony Award-Winning Producer | Co-Founder PATRICIA, A NATIVE OKLAHOMAN, IS A GRADUATE OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY. SHE IS A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT WITH AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, A COMBINATION THAT HAS ENABLED HER TO BUILD A REMARKABLE CAREER. FROM 2009 THROUGH 2018, PATRICIA SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF PATRIOT BANK IN KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES. SHE ALSO CO-OWNED TULSA’S WNBA BASKETBALL TEAM, THE TULSA SHOCK, FROM 2009 THROUGH 2015. PATRICIA HAS BEEN ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BLUE SKY BANK SINCE 2018 AND CHAIRS THE COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION TO HER ROLE AT BLUE SKY BANK, PATRICIA IS PRINCIPAL AND MANAGING PARTNER OF TPC STUDIOS, TULSA’S ONLY HYBRID CREATIVITY FIRM DEDICATED TO EVENTS AND BRANDING. SHE ALSO SERVES AS MANAGING PARTNER OF ENDEAVOR HOLDINGS, A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT FIRM. ENDEAVOR’S PROPERTIES INCLUDE THE FORMER SWINNEY HARDWARE BUILDING IN THE HEART OF TULSA’S KENDALL-WHITTIER SQUARE AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IN DOWNTOWN TULSA. PATRICIA’S COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS EQUALLY AS IMPRESSIVE. FOR NEARLY 2 DECADES, SHE HAS DEDICATED HER TIME AND RESOURCES TO COUNTLESS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART, ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF TULSA, TULSA AREA UNITED WAY, TULSA CARES, AND THE TULSA BALLET. PATRICIA HAS OFTEN HELD INFLUENTIAL LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THESE VITAL ORGANIZATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, PATRICIA HAS SERVED AS CHAIRPERSON OF KEY FUNDRAISING EVENTS AND RAISED OVER $7,000,000 FOR VARIOUS NON-PROFITS. IN 2016, THE TULSA CARES BOARD OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHED THE PATRICIA G. CHERNICKY LUMINARY AWARD TO HONOR HER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEDICATION TO TULSA CARES AND THE COMMUNITY. AS A LONG-TIME BROADWAY INVESTOR (AND ENTHUSIAST!), PATRICIA IS THRILLED TO BRING HER TALENTS AND RESOURCES TO TANNINGER ENTERTAINMENT. |
