Trained cats focus of Popovich Pet Theater | Daily Republic

The Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is coming to Vacaville and Napa. (Courtesy photo)

FAIRFIELD ? Like many a young lad, Greg Popovich pulled dogs? tails. Then, one canine had enough and bit the youngster.

?The dog had good patience,? Popovich said.

Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre

7 p.m. Monday

• Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St.
• 226-7372
• http://www.nvoh.org

7 p.m. Tuesday

• Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, 1010 Ulatis Drive
• 469-4013
• http://vpat.net
• http://www.comedypet.com

It was that early lesson that helped Popovich in developing his Popovich Comedy Pet Theater, which is coming to Vacaville and Napa.

The son of Russian circus performers, Popovich worked with his mother?s showdogs before picking up juggling.

In 1990, he joined Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. Two years later, he was a featured performer at the Circus Circus Hotel in Las Vegas. It was there he brought the family cat, Snowbird, into the act.

The audience?s response got Popovich to contemplate a show built around performing cats and dogs.

Popovich rejects the notion that cats can?t be trained.?The key is to find out what they like and focus on that behavior, he said.

?You don?t train them like dogs. You want to watch them do what they do naturally,? Popovich said.

He starts training them at home, then begins to add a little music and lights. Each trick is repeated, with the amount of sound being gradually increased.

When the cat is ready it is moved to the stage to do everything, including pushing a dog in a carriage, jumping through a hoop and riding piggyback on a a dog.

Popovich?s show features 30 pets and combines old-style vaudeville with physical comedy.

?There is a little competition between the humans and pet talent. The audience judges by applause,? Popovich said. ?The pets always win.?

Popovich adopts his performers from animal shelters. He encourages others to do the same.

To date, Popovich has only had to retire two cats from the show. But they still come to the show and stay in the dressing room.

?We don?t like them to stay home alone,? he said. ?Sometimes they go on stage in a chorus or just sit in a chair and watch.?

Popovich feels the show is for all ages.

?In this show, the pets are the actors. We put them in recognizable situations (for humans),? he said.

Reach Amy Maginnis-Honey at 427-6957 or amaginnis@dailyrepublic.net.

Short URL: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/?p=93617

Source: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/features/entertainment/trained-cats-focus-of-popovich-pet-theater/

dart dart progeria watch free movies online watch free movies online montreal canadiens montreal canadiens