Production photo for “King Arthur” by Ty Sassman, courtesy of Mixed Precipitation.

I’ve been eyeballing pressure canners lately. Our little front yard vegetable garden is coming in faster than I can handle – peppers and tomatoes, those lewd Italian trombone squash and too many cukes to count. I’ve long since run out of creative ways to cook kohlrabi. It’s been pretty wet around here in recent days, so the gardens are even more verdant than usual, all the plants in the neighborhood heavy with ripening fruit. This is such a beautiful season in Minnesota.

All this abundance puts me in mind of Mixed Precipitation’s late summer traveling picnic operetta. The company’s annual “edible opera adventure” is opening this week, with shows in community gardens all around St. Paul on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This year, they’re presenting a “punk retelling” of Henry Purcell’s 1684 English Baroque opera, “King Arthur, or The British Worthy” – the original work was co-authored with one of England’s most noted 17th century poets, John Dryden.

Here’s Mixed Precipitation’s twist on the story, in a nutshell:

King Arthur has gathered the elite Knights of the Round Table together to celebrate the expansion of their benevolent empire, Cameloteapolis. They’re cutting the ribbons to celebrate the building of a colossal sporting arena to host a “Super Joust,” but their grand vision faces a brand new threat — a bull-headed generation of young Saxon knights determined to destroy their new creation. Saddled by debt and underemployment, the Saxons have enlisted the “black magic” of the underworld. Will they use their magic to bring new prosperity or athletic success? And who will be king?

This year, director Scotty Reynolds’ creative team includes writer Mike Harris; music direction by Marya Hart; choreography by Paulino Brener; set design by Zach Humes and costumes by Teresa Mock. The garden-fresh menu accompanying the show is the work of chef Nick Schneider. The cast includes: Jim Aherns as King Arthur, JP Fitzgibbons as Merlin, Maggie Lofboom as Guinevere and Peter Middlecamp as Sir Gawain. Featured instrumentalists are Greg Byers on cello and guitar, Devan Moran and Leif Peterson on strings, and accordionist Karen Manjewicz of Dreamland Faces.

JP Fitzgibbons and Teresa Mock. Photo by Ty Sassman, courtesy of Mixed Precipitation.

Writer Mike Harris has re-imagined Dryden’s original script as an inter-generational fable touching on themes of social justice, civic good and the lingering legacy for young people of choices long since made by older generations, for good and ill.

Costumes and score reflect a mash-up of medieval pageantry and 1970s-era London punk. The musical mix on offer is particularly intriguing. The press info promises: “Henry Purcell’s English Baroque compositions are contrasted by the countercultural anthems of Iggy Pop, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, and the Buzzcocks. British punk adds to the anarchy against the British establishment. Fitzgibbons sings ‘The Cold Song,’ the piece’s most recognizable aria, famously recorded by Klaus Nomi, and recently included in the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ soundtrack.”

I don’t know about you, but I want to hear that.

Mixed Precipitation’s picnic operetta will tour through urban farms and community gardens across the Twin Cities from August 14 to September 21.

The accompanying fare is pretty interesting, in its own right. The menu begins with a 14th-century Anglo Saxon recipe for “compost” (fruits and vegetables pickled in honey and wine), followed by cucumber granita, a soup made from “braised local forest delicacies” and a skewered cherry dessert.

 “King Arthur” by Mixed Precipitation begins this week: Thursday, August 14, 7 p.m. at Dodge Nature Center and Community Garden, 1701 Charlton St., West St. Paul; Friday, August 15, 7 p.m. at Eleanor Graham Community Garden, 1335 Ashland Avenue, St. Paul; Saturday, August 16, 4 p.m. at Skidmore Park Community Garden, 1085 4th4 St., East St. Paul; and Sunday, August 17, 4 p.m. at Falcon Heights Community Garden, 2050 Roselawn Ave., Falcon Heights. The picnic operetta will tour throughout the Twin Cities’ urban farms and community gardens from August 14 to September 21. Suggested donation is $10-20 and reservations are strongly encouraged, as seating for each performance is limited. Call 1-800-838-3006 or go to mixedprecipitation.org to reserve a spot. Find the full line-up of shows here, on the Mixed Precipitation website.