The Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is entertainment for the whole family, featuring the unique blend of comedy and juggling skills of former Moscow Circus veteran Gregory Popovich and the extraordinary talents of his performing pets. His entourage consists of world-class jugglers, Diamond the Shetland Pony and over 30 performing pets including house cats and dogs (all rescued from animal shelters!), geese, white doves and parrots.
The Popovich Comedy Pet Theater has a rich performance history, presenting thousands of shows in more than 20 countries.
Popovich’s 2014 independent film “Popovich and the Voice of the Fabled American West” recently won the Audience Choice Award at the 17th annual Dance with Films Festival in Los Angeles.
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Dr. Des Coveries (Gary U. Bussa) was born in Columbus, Ohio on November 26, 1970. He has always had a love of animals. At the age of twelve, Gary’s family moved to Dublin, Ohio, which is across the river from the Columbus Zoo. Gary would ride his bike across the O’Shaughnessy Dam to work with animals as a volunteer at the zoo. This time for him was very exciting as the zoo was growing under the leadership of Jack Hanna, the zoo director. In 1989, Gary graduated from Dublin High School and received his zoology certification from Tolles Technical School. During this time, he really benefited from the instruction of Suzi Rapp who was in charge of the zoology program. In early 2000, Gary worked at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as an educator. At this point in his life, Gary really grew in his exotic animal husbandry. He loved doing shows for visitors from everywhere. It was at one of these shows that he met the lady who is still today his wife. Gary now lives in Northeast Kentucky with his beautiful wife, Rochelle, and their three children: Bryce, Arianna, and Zander. Today,
Gary owns his own business and does fun educational shows with his animal friends as the character, Dr. Des Coveries, the famous explorer and world traveler. He loves doing shows in the Tri-State area of Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. In 2015, Gary started to serve on the Highlands Museum Advisory Board in Ashland Kentucky. In 2019, Gary developed the television show, Des Coveries Base Camp One. MyTown TV in Ashland, Kentucky, worked with Gary to develop this fun show for streaming. To this day, Gary, enjoys sharing his knowledge of his animal friends in a way that brings smiles to families from all over.
He hopes that his new endeavors as a children’s book author will continue to help educate families about ecology, zoology, and the importance of preservation of our environment and animal habitat and, at the same time, will bring joy and laughter to children around the world.
