If your parents were circus artists, your grandparents were circus artists and your great-grandparents were circus artists, chances are you'll probably be a circus artist.
Such is the case with Gregory Popovich, a fourth generation performer, who grew up in the Moscow Circus before moving to Las Vegas in 1992.
He now runs his own show, which blends Vaudevillian-like tricks and comedy while he shares the stage with a endearing cast of 15 cats, 10 dogs, parrots, geese and mice.
Once shelter animals, Popovich trained the pets he's now taking with him on his North American tour. The Comedy Pet Theatre lands at Richmond's River Rock Casino on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. "It's perfect for everybody," says Lev Popok, another Russian transplant, who along with his wife brought Popovich to Richmond. "It's exactly what we need here for a multicultural evening. It doesn't matter what language you speak, it's a way to unify people and share emotions and cultures."
Popok, a retired engineer, and his wife Alla, a retired piano teacher, were well connected with the Russian artistic community before moving to Richmond in 1988. After retirement, the couple sought ways bridge the gaps between various cultures.
They were able to get in touch with Popovich and arrange for him to include the River Rock on one of his stops.
"It's a highly interactive show and you get to meet other people in the audience as well," says Popok. "Kids often run to the stage during the performance."
Last year, the Comedy Pet Theatre won Best Family Show in Vegas and for some of the Vegas shows, Popovich donates proceeds to the local animal shelter.
He came to America working with jungle animals, but when the world-champion juggler decided to start his own show, he bucked the trend and switched to house animals.
Coming by the craft honestly, Popovich always felt a connection to these pets when he watched his mother work with domestic animals as a kid.
So began his search for dogs and cats when a friend suggested he looked at the animal shelters. Saddened by what he saw, he was motivated to adopt as many as possible.
Even after his pets retire, Popovich brings them along on tours in order for them to feel "part of the team," according to Popok.
"We wanted to do something for everybody," Popok says. "The circus is an international art."
Gregory Popovich brings his Comedy Pet Theatre to Richmond on Dec. 15.
