Biographie
Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Kerri Pomarolli found her comedic calling at the tender age of 2. She figured out how to tell jokes and became addicted to making people laugh. (If only her parents would have pushed her into math, instead)! Kerri's southern Alabama mother had different plans for her and enrolled her, immediately, in dance classes, where Kerri found a way to express her other talent. She was well on her way to becoming a professional dancer when difficult obstacles surfaced. At age 11, Kerri was diagnosed with Scoliosis and went through extensive and painful treatment, culminating in a spinal fusion surgery that placed two metal rods in her back, allowing her to live a normal life. Her dreams for a ballet or dance career, however, were over. Devastated but determined, she decided to try acting. Kerri got the phone book and called the local theater company and said: "Hello, my name is Kerri Pomarolli. I'm 11 and I want to be an actress". She auditioned and was cast in the lead role of "Mary Tilford" in Lillian Hellman's "The Children's Hour". This experience gave her the theater bug and the rest is history. She's appeared in more than 75 stage productions, coast to coast, including off-Broadway in NYC, at the Lambs Theater. Other theater productions include "Leader of the Pack" in NYC, "Godspell" in Los Angeles, and the musicals, "Evita" and "Robber Bridegroom", in Detroit. Her accomplishments continued through high school performances in theater, musicals and commercials. She toured Italy with a classical theater study program through the University of Detroit and performed in the Greek operetta, "The Bacchae", in Italy at the age of 17. She graduated from Northville High School and was accepted at University of Michigan, where she received her Musical Theater BFA and joined the Alpha Phi Sorority. During her summer semesters, she studied at Stella Adler Conservatory in NYC, went on to London to study at the British American Drama Academy and was offered a role in "Revenger's Tragedy" at the prestigious Young Vic Theater. She impressed director Simon Stokes (Dangerous Liaisons) so much that he cast Kerri in the lead role as Vindice even though the part was written for a man. After college Kerri moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. She graduated from the two-year program at Second City and performed on the main stage in LA with "The Thompsons" for a season. She also studied at the Groundlings for Improv and joined the award winning theater ensemble, "The Actors Co-op." Kerri paired up with known television actor Gary Hershberger to co-found the inspirational drama ministry "Act In Faith" and got rave reviews for their honest and heartfelt dramas on life's tough issues. They have performed at the National Pastors Conference and around the country. Kerri came to Hollywood searching out that one role that would make her famous but found compromising her faith was not worth the star on the Walk of Fame. One night after much prayer, it was apparent that God had other plans for her: Kerri was to do stand-up. She was led to her first real gig, in all places, at the world famous Hollywood Improv. Although she performed in front of a very secular crowd Kerri was the only performer asked to come back. Little did she know the comedian at the ticket booth who offered to pray for her would someday become her husband. Kerri continues to hone her craft by working the comedy club circuit. She has become one of the most sought after comedians, and tours extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada. She has shared the stage with such diverse comedians as Sherri Shepherd from The View, Jim Carrey, Jay Leno, Lonnie Love from NBC's Parks and Recreation, Zachary Levi from NBC's Chuck, Tisha Campbell, Jeff Allen, Carlos Oscar and Judy Tenuta, and Wendy Liebman -- to name a few. She's also been a part of the national women's conference, "Extraordinary Women". Kerri has toured with Women of Faith's Thelma Wells in the "Thelma-Kerri TK Tour" from 2010 to the present. She is a much sought after corporate comedian for such clients as Ford Motor Company and Cisco Systems. She and Ron were honored to partner with Glenn Beck for his Restoring Love Conference and provide entertainment for thousands of fans in Dallas. She recently headlined the red carpet launch for the prestigious California Women's Conference, where she will be performing on several panels with over 20,000 in attendance, and hosted the 168 Film Festival in Hollywood. Kerri is honored to share the stage with legendary actresses Tippi Hedren, Sharon Lawrence, Marcia Cross and Mark Victor Hansen -- all of whom have become "Kerri Fans". Her latest DVD is on sale now: "Two Comics Walk Into a Church" with comedian- husband Ron McGehee. Kerri is also an accomplished actress, published author and veteran of television--with credits that include 29 appearances on The Tonight Show, Comedy Central, recurring roles on Port Charles and The Young and the Restless, the Style Network, and Lifetime. She has been a popular guest on many TV shows on Fox, TBN, CBN, The Total Living Network, ABC, ABC Family, NBC, The Joni Show, Oxygen, CNN Headline News, Showbiz Tonight, The Hallmark Channel, Pre-Show Host at the GMA/Dove Awards, and many others. She just filmed an episode of the new hit show, "Mom's Night Out," which aired on Nick at Night this fall. She is also a part of the new TV pilot "WHOA Women," a talk show that will be airing in 2013. Her latest film, La La Land (2012), premiered in 2012 in NYC and LA, in which she appeared with her actor-husband Ron McGehee. She also co-starred with Ron in the award-winning film, Engaged (2010), which was released theatrically and on television. She starred in the award-winning documentary, Hollywood on Fire (2009), with Pat Boone and the late actress Jane Russell. She got the honor to perform with Pat in 2011 and he compared Kerri and Ron to the great comedy duo Burns and Allen. He said, "I'd share the stage with them anytime!" Her most recent film "American Jesus" hits theaters in 2014. Kerri and husband comedian Ron McGehee appeared on the Oxygen Network's hit reality show, Tori and Dean: Inn Love, and starred and co-produced a pilot with Eastgate Productions. She and her creative partner Angela Hoover from America's Got Talent" have several TV projects in the works including their latest venture, "MOMLAND", a sketch comedy about motherhood. Kerri has also hosted her own weekly show on MomTV called "Laugh Break", where she was excited to interview celebs such as her childhood crush Scott Baio, Tiffani Thiessen (White Collar) and many others. Kerri also writes her own advice column in national magazines and is a contributing writer for the new national magazines "Hope For Women" and "WHOA". She's written articles for the teen magazine Brio, is a contributing writer in Flint Wainess new book, "It's Not Me, It's You," collaborated with author Matthew Paul Turner on the book "How To Ruin Your Dating Life," published by Nav Press, and is part of a new book called "Relevant Nation: 50 Revolutionaries Under 40"--in stores now and published by Relevant Press. Her book, "If I Am Waiting On God, Then What Am I Doing In A Christian Chatroom? Confessions Of A Do It Yourself Single," is in Christian bookstores nationally, and was just re-released to reach a secular audience under the title "Boys Like Girls Named Jennie." This book is also being considered to become a motion picture about Kerri's love life. You can read her award-winning "Best Column" national syndicated column Report From A Hollywood God Girl and her cartoon comic strip, Kerri, in The Chronicle Christian Newspapers. She is a monthly guest on Canada's top Talk Back radio program, The Drew Marshall Show, and regulatory makes other radio appearances. You can also listen to her on the Sirius Radio Comedy Channel. She's appeared on the cover of "Today's Christian Woman"--and her newest cover is "Action Magazine," out summer 2012. Her new devotional book, "Mom's Night Out and Other Things I Miss", releases in April of 2014, alongside the theatrical release, Moms' Night Out (2014), starring Patricia Heaton and Sean Astin.
In addition to writing and comedy, Kerri has a passion for ministry. She not only serves as a secular clean comedian, but in Christian venues, as well. She is a well-received speaker and evangelist for retreats and church services of all sizes.
