Missouri State University acting alum Lauren Sweetser (Winters Bone, Addicted) stars in The Riot Act, which is being theatrically released mid-Sept. Over a dozen Missouri State current Acting and Musical Theater majors did background work on the film. An early Fandango synopsis of the film states that Sweetser has “leading star stature.” The Riot Act hits theaters nationwide mid-September.

Dr. Kurt Heinlein, the Coordinator of the BFA Acting Program at Missouri State, worked with Sweetser when she was a student at the university.

Says Heinlein, “Lauren was filled with talent and exceptional drive from day one. Funny enough, I shot a commercial with her even before she started her Acting studies at MSU. I knew from being on set that day that she was talented and passionate about her career.”

“As an MSU student, Lauren worked exceptionally hard to build her craft, but she also used every available opportunity to expand her understanding and experiences in the practical industry.” — Dr. Kurt Heinlein

Heinlein continues, “Lauren is talented and hungry, but understands that an actor has to be an exceptional business person as well. Lauren also happens to be a good person with solid personal and professional ethics, which has surely informed her successes so far.”

With so many Missouri State Acting alumni finding success in the industry, Heinlein explains, “The components that help our MSU alums succeed include talent, of course, but also the passion and drive to flourish in a very competitive industry. Another crucial component in the training for our students is the work they put in also becoming efficient business people, essentially building themselves as a business as they move toward participating in the capstone Los Angeles Showcase and their entry into the profession.”