[flexcoders] Converting a string to a Class

[phall121]

Embarrassingly basic:

How, in AS, can you convert a string ("components.Comp1") into the 
actual reference to the component?

I have a function that requires a parameter of type Class.  

        private function fAddCustomView(compClass:Class):void

>From an array I have a listing of package/components (as string):

        "components.Comp1"
        "components.Comp2"
        "components.Comp3"

How can I convert these strings to actual references to the 
components themselves...so I can send any selection into the 
function as a Class?

I tried:
   private function fAddComp():void
   {
        var clComp:Class = Class(acCompList.getItemAt(2).compname);
        fAddCustomView(clComp);
   }

   private function fAddCustomView(compClass:Class):void

This didn't work.  Error said:

  "Type Coercion failed: cannot convert "components.Comp1" to Class."


Seems a basic question...How do you do it?  Thanks.