Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarena Kae Bueno. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Sarena Kae , thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

It’s somewhat of a long story, but let me break it down. My husband and I ran a theatre company in Springfield, Missouri that focused on original musicals and scripts my husband would write. He and I would take turns directing the projects, and we would also act in them as well. In summer 2024, all of that changed when I started to develop a slight intolerance to gluten. By October the slight intolerance turned into a major attack which lead me to the hospital. I now wasn’t just intolerant to gluten, but I couldn’t be in the same place as it was being made or eaten. Even Walmart was a battle to go into. We were in the middle of a Christmas production my husband wrote called Behind The Line which I was directing and we had to switch venues due to our previous one closing down. This new venue always seemed to make me have a small allergic attack. But we were able to push through. But I was starting to believe I’d never be able to act again unless it was with Voice Acting, which at the time I was struggling to find work. So 2025 come around and a friend of ours suggest that maybe there is mold in the house and that is how this started. It made sense. We moved into the house in 2024 and as we stayed there my health grew worse. Even to the point that I had to quit my job.
This same year my husband was preparing his next musical and had casted me as one of the main characters. I was worried because the venue was an old building. And I’ll be honest it was a battle. On top of it being old it was a shared space with a ballet company and several other theater companies. I had attack after attack and even during our opening night performance people used the kitchen in the facility and made pasta which almost took me out. As soon as the show ended my husband and I felt it was time for us to move on. He took a role down in Branson at a theatre and we were gonna move down there, however; it didn’t last long because in September his show closed. Back in August we took a trip down to Georgia with some friends and for the first time I was able to eat out, go into stores, and feel like a normal human again. So when we returned we decided to work towards moving to Georgia looking at jobs and housing, and we both took a shot in the dark and applied for jobs. I was offered a job as a swim instructor which I have years of experience in, and my husband made connections with a church near Cartersville GA. We decided once the show in Branson ended we would move and see if life would be better. By September 4th we sold all of our things left the rest with our parents and packed very little in our car and moved. It is now 3 months later. And after living 2 weeks in our car, making connections and community, I can say that this was the right move and it was risky. We had no plan, not really an financial support. Just what we had in our car. I just recently signed with The Avenue Agency in Atlanta as well. So that fear of never acting again can see its self out. This risk was a success

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Well, I grew up in southern Georgia. When I was in elementary I saw a performance by some high schoolers that really gave me the itch to act. So I joined choir until I could do drama in middle school. This love for acting carried me to a program called showdown in Jefferson City Missouri led by Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus, 2 Disney writers. Showdown was a theatre program for teens to experience every aspect of the performance arts through original plays and musicals. They even took us to L.A. to meet and mock audition for a casting director where I was told I wasn’t funny and would be the best friend role. Cindy, my mentor, was furious at that director’s comment. A few years later I would audition for the musical Lucky Stiff in college where I would meet my husband. It was because of this I met the person who would push me the most and support in my acting pursuits. For years after that, we would produce shows together and, in 2022, he helped me attempt my first steps into voice acting. I’ve worked on several fan projects, some original voice over projects and I was even in a pilot for a cartoon that I don’t think made it to network sadly.
I also have started helping independent authors with making promos of their books for them.

My goal is to help tell stories that inspire people the way voice actors, like Laura Bailey, inspired me when I was younger.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Honestly there are 2 goals, 1 is to have a better life more me and my husband. Things haven’t been the easiest, but I know they will be. 2. Like I said before I want to encourage others that they can make art with what they have and where they are at.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect is a two fold aspect at least for me. It’s the feeling of joy of knowing that I’m proud of what I created, and it’s hearing how my creation helps and inspires others to do and continue their journeys no matter where they are at or what they have.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Sarena Kae Bueno
• Facebook: Sarena Kae Bueno
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sarenakaebueno8304?si=d3-TNIFBI7rnLTcX
• Other: TikTok: @SarenaKaeBueno