WOODSTOCK -- Have you ever dreamt of being a professional actor?  How about a major motion picture movie star?

In January, local youth will get a chance to work one-on-one with professional actors and technicians as part of a weeklong program called The Mentoring Project.  The event runs from January 15th -21st.

"The people in the mentoring project are actually in the business," explained Matt Cassidy, co-organizer of the event.  "I would have loved doing something like this when I was young."

Cassidy, a former member of Theatre Woodstock, is a graduate of the Musical Theatre program at Sheridan College and grew up in Woodstock.  The veteran actor recently performed in "The Lord Of the Rings", and as understudy, played the role of Aragorn 25 times.  In the spring, he will be performing in "Oklahoma!" and "Pentecost" as a member of the Stratford Festival's company.

The creative team of the project includes Cassidy, David Warrack, Sarah Cassidy, Sean Hilderley, Neil Saxby and Kevin Hicks.  Youths, ages 13 to 19, will focus on all aspects of the theatre arts.

 The mentoring program costs $50 per student.  Call 519-539-8971 to register. 

 The program is being run in association with Theatre Woodstock and CAST, a youth development project of the local theatre group.  The talent will be learning the Meisner Technique, an American technique of method acting that uses repetition and improvisation to teach actors to experience real emotions in an artificial setting.

"We’ll be teaching these kids the rules of the game”, he said.  "It's such an amazing technique."

The youth will also integrate yoga and kickboxing into their schedule and be exposed to skills they can use in the real world, including audition skills.

"It's a hard industry to be in, " Cassidy explained.  "If you don't have the right mindset that industry can play tricks on your brain."  Negative emotions like anger and depression can set in as a result of not establishing mental perimeters.  "You can't take (rejection) personally," he said.  "It's not a personal business -- you're a product."

The Mentoring Project will culminate in a concert featuring Cassidy and Warrack and the youth from the mentoring project performing several songs.  They will be performing a combination of classic rock, jazz, folk and musical theatre.

Warrack is the founding conductor of the Canada Pops Orchestra and has performed extensively with artists such as Maureen Forrester, Jeff Hyslop, Mark Dubois and Michael Burgess.

The event takes place at the Market Center Theatre January 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and January 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and are available at The Market Center Box Office or by calling 519-537-2582.

A portion of the proceeds will go to Theatre Woodstock, CAST and the Stephen Lewis Foundation.