Kenny Metroff

Nationalities

Chicago New York City London Los Angeles Austin Paris France United Kingdom United States

Kenny Metroff is an American improviser, actor, writer, and educator based in Chicago who has performed, taught, and studied sketch and improv comedy for over a decade. A graduate of The Second City Conservatory and alumni of the Second City House Ensemble program, Metroff has performed at iO Chicago, Annoyance Theatre, ComedySportz, and pH Comedy Theater. He toured as a member of The Second City Theatrical aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines and created the award-winning web series It's A Parent.

Metroff trained extensively across Chicago's major improv institutions. He graduated from The Second City Conservatory in Chicago, where he also became an alumni of the House Ensemble program, one of the training center's advanced performance tracks. He additionally graduated from and performed at iO Chicago, Annoyance Theatre, and ComedySportz, giving him experience across both long-form and short-form competitive improv traditions.

Metroff became a company member at pH Comedy Theater, where he performed weekly improv shows, wrote for sketch revues, and toured across the country with the pH brand of high-energy interactive improv. The pH style emphasized audience engagement and physical comedy, and Metroff's work with the company included both main stage performances and touring productions that brought their ensemble-driven format to venues and festivals nationwide.

As a member of The Second City Theatrical aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, Metroff performed weekly improv and sketch comedy shows while touring from Alaska to Florida. Second City's cruise ship residencies place performers in front of audiences who may have no prior exposure to improv, requiring adaptability and the ability to build rapport quickly with audiences from diverse backgrounds. The cruise ship environment demands performers create material that connects across cultural and generational lines, a constraint that sharpens the improvisational instinct for finding universal human experiences onstage.

Metroff expanded his creative work into digital content, writing and starring in the web series It's A Parent on YouTube, which explored the comedic experiences of being a stay-at-home dad. The series won multiple awards for performance and writing from film festivals in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London, and Austin, demonstrating that the comedic instincts developed through improv training could translate effectively into scripted digital content. The international festival recognition across five cities reflected the series' ability to connect with audiences beyond the Chicago improv community.

His on-camera work includes an appearance on NBC's Chicago Fire, a Chicago Blackhawks commercial, and various other commercials, independent films, and training videos. Metroff is also registered with The Improv Network as a teacher, bringing his multi-institutional training background to improv education.

Historical Context

Metroff's career follows the path of many Chicago-based improvisers who trained at multiple institutions to develop a comprehensive skill set. His progression through Second City, iO, Annoyance, and ComedySportz exposed him to distinct improvisational philosophies: Second City's scene-based satirical approach, iO's Harold-centered long-form tradition, Annoyance's anything-goes creative freedom, and ComedySportz's competitive family-friendly format. This cross-training approach became increasingly common among Chicago improvisers in the 2000s and 2010s as performers recognized that each institution offered complementary skills.

His work with pH Comedy Theater connected him to one of Chicago's more distinctive ensemble companies, known for its high-energy interactive style and national touring. The pH model placed particular emphasis on audience participation and physical comedy, providing a performance context distinct from the more scene-driven work at Second City or iO.

His transition into web content creation with It's A Parent reflected a broader trend among trained improvisers seeking creative outlets beyond the stage. The series drew directly on Metroff's improvisational instincts for timing and character, applied to scripted material about parenthood. Its festival success in five international cities, winning awards in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London, and Austin, demonstrated that improv training produces performers capable of creating compelling content across media formats.

Teaching Philosophy

Metroff's teaching draws on his training across four of Chicago's major improv institutions, offering students a synthesized perspective that combines Second City's emphasis on scene work and character, iO's long-form narrative structures, Annoyance's commitment to creative risk, and ComedySportz's audience engagement techniques. His registration as an instructor with The Improv Network extends his teaching reach beyond individual theatre affiliations, making his cross-institutional experience available to students seeking a comprehensive grounding in improvisational performance.

Legacy

Metroff represents the versatile Chicago improviser who builds a multifaceted career by combining stage performance, touring, cruise ship residencies, digital content creation, and on-camera commercial work. His award-winning web series It's A Parent demonstrated that improv training produces performers capable of creating compelling content across media formats, with its recognition at festivals spanning five countries validating the international appeal of comedy rooted in improvisational authenticity. His multi-institutional training background and touring experience with both pH Comedy Theater and Second City Theatrical illustrate the range of professional pathways available to dedicated improvisers in the Chicago comedy ecosystem.