With theater buildings shut down due to COVID-19, plenty of performing artists are taking their shows outdoors – to parks, driveways, backyards and even a ballpark. Here’s a look at some outdoor performances.

Pandemic Pickup Truck Opera

Mixed Precipitation opera company usually presents a picnic operetta in parks and community gardens. This year, they’re totally taking their show on the road, presenting a new adaptation of Homer’s “Odyssey” in the back of a pickup truck. The company is known for putting a twist on the music, and plans to feature “beautiful baroque melodies by Claudio Monteverdi and the timeless tunes of Dolly Parton, plus our trademark Picnic silliness.”

The pop-up pickup is still a work in progress, but will be available in late September and early October. To book an outdoor opera on your block, call Mixed Precip founder and artistic director Scotty Reynolds at 612-619-2112 or email sreynolds@mixedprecipitation.org.

Dance in Stillwater and St. Paul

Collide Theatrical Dance Company is presenting a “dance cabaret” outdoors in Stillwater and St. Paul. Created by Collide founder and choreographer Regina Peluso, “The Cafe” is described as a story told with dance and music.

“The Cafe” will be outdoors at the Zephyr Theater in Stillwater on Sept. 18 and 19 and in the parking lot at Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul on Sept. 26 and 27. Outdoor shows will be socially distanced with COVID-19 precautions. The Zephyr Theatre is at 601 N. Main St., Stillwater. Gremlin is located at 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul. For tickets and more information: collidetheatrical.org.

‘Opera in the Outfield’

Minnesota Opera takes a swing at outdoor entertainment with “Opera in the Outfield” at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 and 26 in the St. Paul Saints’ ballpark, CHS Field. The show will feature recorded performances screened on the ballpark scoreboard.

The audience will be seated at safe physical distance in family groups. It includes music from “Carmen,” “The Marriage of Figaro” and some modern classics. Tickets are $50-$10, with digital-only access priced at $15-$10 at mnopera.org.

‘My Funny Quarantine’

Married actors Jen Maren and Peter Simmons have been out of work and stuck at home together during the pandemic, so they created a production about a couple dealing with a lot of time together. “My Funny Quarantine” has music, improv, storytelling and swordfighting.

The couple travels to driveways and backyards and performs for donations. To book “Theatre Unmasqued” (as they call themselves), go to jenmaren.com/unmasqued. They’re also doing a couple of public shows at the Bakken Museum rooftop at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 9, 10, 12 and 13. Reserve seats for those Minneapolis shows at thebakken.org.

‘Charlie Bethel’s Beowulf’

Actor John Heimbuch is scheduling backyard performances of “Charlie Bethel’s Beowulf” for small groups over the next month or two. He says his one-person performance is for “adults, families, and kids who like mythology and fantasy books.” It’s based on an old English poem about a warrior and some monsters. This version of “Beowulf” was written by Charlie Bethel and was a big hit at the 2019 Minnesota Fringe, where it was also performed by Heimbuch, co-artistic director of Walking Shadow Theatre.

Audience groups will need to be masked and socially distanced. “Ideally not more than 5-7 pods per performance – 12-16 people max, depending on yard size and layout,” Heimbuch says. For info: johnheimbuch.com. For availability, rates and booking information, email john@johnheimbuch.com.

‘Corona Borealis’: A Comedic Partial Year In Review

Comic commentator Lizz Winstead has been doing year-in-review shows in the Twin Cities for 11 years. With COVID-19, she’s decided to bring her take on 2020 to us a little earlier than usual. Probably because the shows will be outdoors. Winstead – activist, observer and co-creator of “The Daily Show” – will perform a comedy show in a drive-in movie setting at Crooners in Fridley on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

What to expect? According to her publicity: “Winstead will hit all the epic lowlights. From drinking bleach to drinking the Trump Kool-Aid, and the pandemics of Corona and systemic racism, Winstead will hilariously hold the perpetrators of all of it accountable.” Tickets are $40, available at eventbrite.com.