I've seen a couple very intriguing interpretations of The Tempest recently, first virtually via Round House Theatre where Prospero is a magician, and then live at the Herbst Saturday evening for the premiere of Prospero's Island, a new chamber opera by Allen Shearer and Claudia Stevens. The couple set the action on the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas just after WWII, and this time Prospero is a mad scientist keeping the secrets of his Nazi past from his daughter Mandy. It's a brilliant update, allowing Ariel and Caliban to be the human-animal hybrid outcomes of tragic experiments, and a strong theme of respect for our natural world runs through both acts as well. The production itself was incredibly polished and featured strong vocal performances and many delightful moments, including a chorus of penguins played by members of the San Francisco Girls Chorus. Shakespeare remains ever malleable and relevant to our current moment.
Masking? Supposedly required but not enforced and practiced by about 70% of the audience.