Performance and Discussion
The Tempest is among the last plays Shakespeare wrote, probably in 1610 or 1611. It is an intriguing tale of magic, betrayal, forgiveness, and the encounter of civilization with the wilderness. It has both comic and tragic elements, which has ultimately led to the creation of a third category to cover it: a romance. It is the capstone to any study of Shakespeare.
In this this latest course of the performance and discussion series we will spend two sessions reading the play together, with assigned roles that you are encouraged to prepare ahead of time. (Don't worry, you don't need to be a good actor: just have familiarity with your lines so that it is easier to read them without tripping over them. We will have a wide variety of reading talent!) Then, we will spend a slightly longer session discussing the play in detail.
This play is less well known than the great tragedies and comedies, but it will repay lovers of Shakespeare, lovers of literature, and lovers of good company and laughs for the time invested in it. Join us as we study one of the greatest plays of English literature as it was meant to be studied: in fellowship!
February 5 - 19, 2026
7:00 - 8:30 / 9:00 pm CT
(Two 1.5 hour reading sessions and one 2 hour discussion)
$150 / student
Included in the Pathway to Wonder membership!
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Participating in a course led by Dr. Junius Johnson is a wonderful journey of exploration, seeking hidden gems in unexpected places. It is an opportunity to learn to look deeper than the surface, both in reading and in the mundane of life. A delightful feast for the mind that lasts far beyond the actual banquet.
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I came to the C.S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy class with an expectation of academic rigor, thoughtful teaching, and imagination-opening conversation. Dr. Johnson delivered this and more! He brought these texts alive in a way that I could not have imagined, and he made me think about implications for my life. This class took me far beyond a simple reading of the text, into a world of wonder and a desire for deeper understanding of the great mysteries of our world and the stories that we tell about them.
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Every time I hear Junius Johnson speak, I walk away asking: "Did I forget how exciting and joyful the life of the mind can be?”