“Oh my goodness.”
“I can’t watch.”
“Awwwwwww.”

“AHHHHH.”

And as the crescendo of the music heightens, a cat jumps. In what seems to be a stroke of luck, the cat bounces off Gregory Popovich’s back, and an exhale rushes over the crowd. 

These are the words (and sounds) that passed through the air in the Coppell Arts Center on Saturday evening during Popovich’s action-packed, tension-gripping, family-friendly comedic pet show. 

Parents knew their children would enjoy the show, especially after the cancellation of a dinosaur show, “Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE!”,  which was replaced by the “Popovich Comedy Pet Theater.” 

“Before COVID, this show was on the docket. And then, COVID hit,” Coppell Arts Center Manager Ginene Delcioppo. “We reformatted our 2021-2022 season and this show didn’t make it in, mainly because we had ‘A Merry Cirque,’ which had circus acts. So, we were like maybe we shouldn’t have two shows that have too many circus acts.” 

“We found a show that was called ‘[Erth’s] DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE!’,” according to Delcioppo. “But, over the summer, when there was the second wave, and Australia went back into lockdown and they cancelled the entire tour [because] that show came out of Australia. [The booking company] reached back out to us and said we’re trying to route [“Popovich Comedy Pet Theater”] in its place. So that’s how we took Popovich back for this season.”

Despite the tension among the audience during the initial stages of the show, it would be foolish to think that acrobatics is new to Popovich. For Popovich, who is a fourth generation circus performer, it seemed to be almost natural to follow the footsteps of his parents. At the age of 6, Popovich learned juggling and helped his mother with a dog act. Finally, at 14, Popovich  had his very own debut while juggling on a free-standing ladder. After this act, Popovich joined the Moscow Circus Group in Russia at age 17. 

But, watching the show provides more than just entertainment. 

“I usually try to sneak in and watch a little bit,” Delcioppo said. “I watched some of the Popovich show today, because when you watch it, you see how the audience reacts to it. And then you know, was [the show] a good choice or not the best choice for the community.”

No matter what the audience’s purpose in watching this show is, there is a unanimous agreement that it is highly entertaining. As the lights dim and the audience hushes, the “Popovich Comedy Pet Theater” commences. 

But the show does more than depict a series of random skits: it tells a story. The show performed at the Coppell Arts Center seems to draw a tangent to Popovich’s own life in some ways. 

Popovich begins the show as a part of a circus. Visibly overworked by his boss, Popovich often playfully rebels. On one occasion, however, after tampering with a microphone, Popovich is dramatically fired. 

With no source of income, show goers notice the quality of Popovich’s jacket, torn and scratched. As Popovich walks through the stage, prop snow drifts and not a person is in sight. Popovich, suddenly, is completely alone. 

Or so it seems.

Upon eating on one occasion, Popovich notices that his food is gone. Alarmed, Popovich sets out to find the cause and sees a four-legged puppy to be the source. Becoming instant friends, Popovich realizes he is no longer alone and finds a talent in pet training. 

A flashforward occurs and Popovich is now reborn. His previous tattered jacket has been replaced by a flamboyant red. Popovich is also beginning to feature in various media shows. With a series of bows, the curtains begin to close and cheers erupt. 

Despite the family-orientation to the “Popovich Comedy Pet Theater,” the show attracts both children and adults alike. 

“Oh, I’m such a fan,” said Dorothy Fischer, an usher and long-time supporter of the Coppell Arts Center. “There’s this one scene that’s about two-thirds through the show. He brings out two cats and they climb this, climb that. And they just stay there. Then he gets about eight of them installed there. And there’s a box in the middle and he stomps his foot, and all of a sudden those cats spring out of the box. They all run to their own little positions. Oh my gosh. He puts a whole new meaning to the word herding cats. He does it.”

But most interesting is the compassion Popovich seems to broadcast to his furry friends. All of the cats and dogs that Popovich trains are from animal shelters. Popovich even refers to his entourage as “pets” not “animals.”. 

Popovich looks for members in a variety of shelters, most notably the places he tours. So, if you happen to be at an animal shelter and glance at a man with a smidge of red paint on his cheeks, that may not just be any regular customer. 

Anushree De (@anushree_night) and @CHSCampusNews on Twitter