diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.cpp b/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.cpp
index 22f91eb182..8ed8873c4e 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.cpp
@@ -15,10 +15,36 @@
 #include "XmlFile.h"
 #include "FontCharAliases.h"
 #include "LuaManager.h"
+#include "MessageManager.h"
 
 #include "arch/Dialog/Dialog.h"
 
 
+// Actor registration
+static map<CString,CreateActorFn>	*g_pmapRegistrees = NULL;
+
+void ActorUtil::Register( const CString& sClassName, CreateActorFn pfn )
+{
+	if( g_pmapRegistrees == NULL )
+		g_pmapRegistrees = new map<CString,CreateActorFn>;
+
+	map<CString,CreateActorFn>::iterator iter = g_pmapRegistrees->find( sClassName );
+	ASSERT_M( iter == g_pmapRegistrees->end(), ssprintf("Actor class '%s' already registered.", sClassName.c_str()) );
+
+	(*g_pmapRegistrees)[sClassName] = pfn;
+}
+
+Actor* ActorUtil::Create( const CString& sClassName, const CString& sDir, const XNode* pNode )
+{
+	map<CString,CreateActorFn>::iterator iter = g_pmapRegistrees->find( sClassName );
+	ASSERT_M( iter != g_pmapRegistrees->end(), ssprintf("Actor '%s' is not registered.",sClassName.c_str()) )
+
+	CreateActorFn pfn = iter->second;
+	return pfn( sDir, pNode );
+}
+
+
+
 Actor* ActorUtil::LoadFromActorFile( const CString& sAniDir, const XNode* pNode )
 {
 	ASSERT( pNode );
@@ -63,6 +89,10 @@ Actor* ActorUtil::LoadFromActorFile( const CString& sAniDir, const XNode* pNode
 		p->LoadFromNode( sAniDir, pNode );
 		pActor = p;
 	}
+	else if( sType == "GenreDisplay" )
+	{
+		pActor = ActorUtil::Create( sType, sAniDir, pNode );
+	}
 	else if( sType == "ActorFrame" )
 	{
 		ActorFrame *p = new ActorFrame;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h b/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h
index 37157b8f6b..21f22636d7 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorUtil.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* ActorScroller - ActorFrame that moves its children. */
+/* ActorUtil - Utility functions for creating and manipulating Actors. */
 
 #ifndef ActorUtil_H
 #define ActorUtil_H
@@ -8,9 +8,28 @@
 
 struct XNode;
 
+typedef Actor* (*CreateActorFn)(const CString& sDir, const XNode* pNode);
+
+// Each Actor class should have a REGISTER_ACTOR_CLASS in its CPP file.
+#define REGISTER_ACTOR_CLASS( className ) \
+	Actor* Create##className(const CString& sDir, const XNode* pNode) { \
+		className *pRet = new className; \
+		pRet->LoadFromNode(sDir, pNode); \
+		return pRet; } \
+	class Register##className { \
+	public: \
+		Register##className() { ActorUtil::Register(#className,Create##className); } \
+	}; \
+	static Register##className register##className;
 
 namespace ActorUtil
 {
+	// Every screen should register its class at program initialization.
+	void Register( const CString& sClassName, CreateActorFn pfn );
+	Actor* Create( const CString& sClassName, const CString& sDir, const XNode* pNode );
+
+
+
 	void SetXY( Actor& actor, const CString &sScreenName );
 	inline void SetXY( Actor* pActor, const CString &sScreenName ) { SetXY( *pActor, sScreenName ); }
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/AutoActor.h b/stepmania/src/AutoActor.h
index d2406bf9cc..e12514bc94 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/AutoActor.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/AutoActor.h
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-/* ActorScroller - ActorFrame that moves its children. */
+/* AutoActor - An Actor wrapper that creates the appropriate type of Actor. *
+ * from the supplied file name and automatically frees the Actor on 
+ * destruction. */
 
 #ifndef AutoActor_H
 #define AutoActor_H