Trevor Woggan and Phil Takemura Sears Photo by Anne Hendrickson

This year's edition, the company's 17th, is a remount of one of the first productions in the series, The Return of King Idomeneo, based loosely on Mozart's opera Idomeneo re di Creta (Idomeneo, King of Crete), which premiered in 1781. Mixed Precipitation's rendition was first staged in 2012. I didn't see it that first time, but having attended the current production, I can easily see why it was a hit in 2012 and why it was a good bet to bring back for a second run. In fact, of the ten Mixed Precipitation Pickup Operettas (and their predecessors, the Picnic Operettas) that I've seen, The Return of King Idomeneo ranks up near the top.

Mixed Precipitation's twist on these operas is to take the original story and update it to a contemporary (or near contemporary) time, inserting pop culture references and topical events, all with a satiric, somewhat outlandish eye. As for the score, a handful of pop tunes are dropped into the narrative, while a generous supply of highlights from the original opera are maintained. In this case, the composer is Mozart, sung in the original Italian. The libretto by Giambattista Varesco is reduced to pithy sentences and revealed in translation to the audience in a raft of clever ways. One marvelous example: in a scene that calls for much tear-shedding, the principals pull sheets out of a Kleenex box which unfold to reveal the gist (as adapted by Scotty Reynolds, Paul Coate, and Marya Hart) of what the lyrics are meant to convey. This kind of cleverness is part of what makes these Pickup Operettas such a joy.

If you are a fan of bona fide opera, you will be rewarded by the rich voices of the cast members, especially the principals. Their accompaniment is an unlikely pairing for opera, a rag-tag combo that is part string quartet and part country band led by musical director Gary Ruschman. The blend of accordion, guitar, violin, cello, and a sprinkling of percussive instruments sounds right for both genres. The pop songs, in this case, draw from do-wop vocal group sounds of the 1950s, leading off with the rockabilly "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Charlie Ryan–the words altered to suit the plot–and winding up with Bobby Ray's 1957 "Little Bitty Pretty One" for the finale.

The plot, taken from Greek mythology, is set at the end of the Trojan War. Following their victory over Troy, the heroes of Crete return to their homeland, but King Idomeneo is not among them, being still out at sea. The returning Cretins have brought Hecuba, the Trojan Queen, and her daughters as prisoners. King Idomeneo's son, Prince Idamante, and Ilia, one of Hecuba's daughters, fall in love in a flash, but the enmity between Crete and Troy would keep them apart. The two besotted youths implore all sides to renounce their differences and live in peace.

When Idomeneo faces death from the wrath of a massive oceanic storm, Neptune, god of the sea, makes a bargain to spare the King's life in exchange for his vow to kill the first living creature he spies upon reaching land. Idomeneo's gratitude for Neptune's intercession is short-lived when the first creature he sees is Idamante, his son. Trying to forestall the inevitable, the King plots for Idamante to escort Electra, a woman exiled from Argos, back to her home, and while the Prince is gone, chose a different victim to sacrifice. This suits Electra, who is jealous of Idamante's attention to Ilia and plans to lure him away and claim his heart for herself.

But before Idamante and Electra set sail, the ocean erupts in turmoil caused by a sea monster, the result of polluted sludge being pumped out from the city. Now it is Idamante's turn to be heroic and do battle against the sludge monster. Will he succeed? Will he be spared the fate set by his father's vow to Neptune? Will there be a happy ending for Idamante and Ilia, or will Electra tear the lovers apart? The original opera is classified as "opera seria," meaning serious in style and narrative. Then again, this is no longer the original, but the love child of the Mixed Precipitation team's fling with Mozart.

Paul Coate's staging keeps the action moving steadily and, to the degree possible given the convulsions of the plot, maintains a clear account of the narrative. Performers often quickly swap out Rhiannon Fiskradatz's wittily conceived costumes to take different parts, and all is achieved quite smoothly. Antonia Perez's choreography further enlivens the show, contributing to the festive feeling of the entire affair.

The cast are all aces. Phil Takemura Sears performed as King Idomeneo for the last time at the performance we attended, with Roland Hawkins stepping in for the duration of the show's run. Sears delivered his vocals with a lush and powerful baritone, and ably enacts a king restoring his authority after a long absence, as well as the torment of being trapped by his own vow of having to slay the person most dear to him. Joni Griffith, a mainstay of the Pickup Operettas, is marvelous as youthful Prince Idamante, singing beautifully and bringing a conviction to his romantic entreaties, and a staunch convictions to his determination in all endeavors–all with a twinkle of playfulness about him. The role, written to be performed by a male castrato in Mozart's day, is now meant to be performed by a tenor, but Griffith's range suits the role nicely.

Kaoru Shoji is completely winning as Ilea, the ingenue of the piece. Her soprano voice is beautiful, bringing luster to the moving aria "Padre, germani addia" and paired with Griffith's Idamante. Shoji conveys Ilea's spunk and idealism, though, given the outdoor venue (with a notable wind), one wishes she could attain a higher volume. Jill Suzanne Morgan performed as Electra (she alternates in performance with Alexis Reed) with a strong voice that shows the character's headstrong resolve, especially letting loose in "Since I Don't Have You," a 1958 hit by the Skyliners. The remaining cast members are all swell in smaller roles, with special notice to Trevor Woggon's characterization of Neptune, Debi Kilde as an outspoken Hecuba, and Nick Miller as Idomeneo's sly confidant, Arbace.

With it's dizzying story that mashes up heroism, mythology, forbidden love, and ecological disaster into a frothy confection, the beautiful excerpts from Mozart's work (not one of his masterpieces, but even middling Mozart is a treasure), and the well chosen pop songs that add spunk and a contemporary edge to the piece, The Return of King Idomeneo is a pleasure from start to finish.

The Return of King Idomeneo is being performed at various locations as a Pickup Truck Operetta by Mixed Precipitation through September 14, 2025. All performance sites are outdoors. Sliding scale donation of $15.00 - $45.00, $30.00 suggested. For youth ages 12-20, sliding scale donation of $10.00 - $20.00, $15.00 suggested. For performance dates, locations and reservations, please visit mixedprecipitation.org.

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Original Italian Libretto: Giambattista Varesco adapted by Scotty Reynolds, Paul Coate, and Marya Hart; Additional music: Allen Toussaint, Naomi Neville, Earl Lewis and Robin Morganson, Joseph Rock and James Beaumont, an Bobby Day; Stage Director: Paul Coate; Music Director and Arranger: Gary Ruschman; Choreographer: Antonia Perez; Costume Design: Rhiannon Fiskradatz; Set Design: Abby Palen; Scenic Artists: Abby Palen and Rachel Hartmann; Puppetry: Stage Manager: Ches Cipriano; Assistant Stage Manager: Anna Pladson; Producer: Scotty Reynolds.

Cast: Galina Dordevic' (* Zeus), Joni Griffith (Prince Idamante), Marc Haroo (*Zeus), Roland Hawkins (* King Idomeneo), Debi Kilde (Hecuba), Jason Kornelis (*Arbace), Nick Miller (*Arbace), Jill Morgan (*Electra), Anna Pladson (Athena/Sailor), Alexis Reed (*Electra), Scotty Reynolds (Cassandra/Sailor), Gary Ruschman (Apollo), Phil Takemura Sears (* King Idomeneo), Kaoru Shoji (Ilia), Trevor Woggon (Neptune), Alex Yang (Polyxena/Sailor).

*rotating performances

Musicians: Galina Dordevic', Joni Griffith, Marc Haroo, Jason Kornelis, Nick Miller, Gary Ruschman, Trevor Woggon.