Dallas's Cathedral of Hope, a congregation of the United Church of Christ, will host free introduction to acting classes offered by Joe Watts on July 10 and 17.

Watts, artistic director for Theatre New West, has acted in more than 75 productions and has directed more than 60. The seasoned theater teacher has shared his passion for the stage with students for 25 years. 

Classes will start at 6 p.m. and last two and a half hours in the CLC Chapel. Watts suggests students attend both classes, which land on Tuesdays, but it is not required.

"You’ll learn the basics of acting from an expert primarily by reading and working on monologues assigned to each participant," a press release states.

The classes are intended to prepare students to participate in "The Respect Project," which pairs LGBT youth and adults in a series of workshops "where they share life stories," according to the release. The project ends with a production based on monologues written by each participant.

Find out more about the classes and "The Respect Project," by visiting the Cathedral of Hope online.