Sirena Irwin grew up in a culturally rich environment, surrounded by the sounds of her mother's harpsichord and the innovative spirit of her father, a physicist who briefly experimented with a hippie lifestyle before settling at Stanford University. Her early years were spent in various parts of the United States and abroad, with her family's nomadic lifestyle allowing her to develop a unique perspective on the world.
As she entered her teenage years, Sirena discovered her passion for theater while attending Northfield Mt. Hermon boarding school. This led her to pursue a dual degree in Theater and International Relations at San Francisco State University, where she honed her craft and developed a strong foundation in the performing arts.
After college, Sirena's talent for comedy and her ability to create distinctive voices and accents led her to a successful stint in a popular San Francisco sketch comedy group. This experience ultimately brought her to Los Angeles, where she leveraged her skills to become a successful voice director in the world of animation.
Sirena's mentor, the renowned voice director Andrea Romano, played a significant role in her development as a voice director, and her hard work earned her an Emmy nomination in 2021. As an actor, she originated the role of Lucy in "I Love Lucy Live On Stage," earning critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Chicago Broadway World Award for "Best Actress in a Touring Production."
The Los Angeles Times praised her performance as "pitch perfect," while the Huffington Post described her as a "force of nature." She performed in sold-out shows in Los Angeles and Chicago, and the subsequent national tour was a huge success.
In addition to her work in animation and theater, Sirena has also explored her creative side through music. She was the front woman for San Francisco's Seemen, a pyrotechnics robotics group that was an offshoot of SRL (Survival Research Laboratories).
As a filmmaker, Sirena has written, directed, and produced multiple short films that have been broadcast and distributed internationally. Her first short film enjoyed the festival circuit and was later picked up for distribution by Hypnotic Films. Her short film, Argentoesque, was awarded at the Made In Italy Film Festival in Castel Di Sangro, while her short "Il Controllore" (The Ticket Taker") was showcased at the Salon de Refusee at the Milano Film Festival.
Sirena has also demonstrated her interest in tools and building by hosting the History Channel's "Toolbox" and co-creating and writing the pilot for a show for HGTV, "Do-It-Herself," featuring two handywomen. She has also created and produced numerous spec pilots, including "Butter Face," starring Fortune Feimster, which can be found on Funny or Die and Vimeo.
In 2015, Sirena directed a play, "The Exit Interview," written by William Missouri Downs, for Los Angeles' Buzzworks Theater Co. She returned to the company in 2018, directing the comedy "Sex" by Mae West.
