STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – J. Bothwell Productions presents  STOCKHOLM SYNDROME, written and directed by award-winning writer, Kamal John Iskander and produced by and starring award-winning and four-time Fringe Festival veteran, Joey Bothwell is a psychological thriller heading to Hollywood Fringe Festival 2023.

A MOVIE DIRECTOR WALKS INTO A LOUNGE…

Once upon a time in Hollywood, film director Ramzey Ramone shows up to the Hollywood Towers Hotel to meet a well-known star with the hope of convincing her to sign onto his latest, The Black Widow, a film noir in the typical femme fatale tradition. Arriving early, Ramsey encounters Katrina Castren, a mysterious and intriguing beauty. When Katrina finds out why he’s there, she suggests he try out his pitch on her. Their conversation becomes more intense as Katrina skillfully charms Ramsey while simultaneously deconstructing him as a man. As Ramsey comes undone, his cliché movie idea frighteningly and effectively unfolds into his reality leaving him cocooned in his own ironic end.

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME dances between the realms of psychological thriller and dark comedy, entwined within the inspirational and destructive duality of the concept of muses as presented in a clever game of cat and mouse between a  washed-up artist and a woman with a mysterious secret. 

The Cast

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME features award-winning and four-time Fringe Festival veteran, JOEY BOTHWELL in the lead role as Katrina Castren, Sean Hemeon (HFF 2022 Encore Award winner), Clarissa Park, and Ohad Bitton in the lead role as Ramzey Ramone.

“As a female producer and actor in the entertainment industry for over two decades,  it was so refreshing to find a script that spoke to some of the challenges I’ve personally come up against in this business. STOCKHOLM SYNDROME sheds an interesting light on the injustices of ‘old boys clubs’ and golf course handshakes that are finally starting to shift as we blossom into this new paradigm of Hollywood. It’s cathartic to play a strong female lead that gets to address some of these stereotypes and say some of the things I’ve wanted to say for years.” – Producer and lead actress, Joey Bothwell.

ABOUT THE TEAM: 

KAMAL JOHN ISKANDER (Writer/Director) – After winning seven awards for his short film Jesus Comes To Town with 30 international official selections, Iskander went on to place twice in the Academy Nicholl  Fellowship. His feature script collaboration, Montreal Girls, was produced in Canada and had its world premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in 2022. It won Best Feature at Los Angeles International Film Festival and opens in theaters in June 2023. 

JOEY BOTHWELL (Producer/Katrina Castren) – Joey Bothwell has participated in four Fringe Festivals in Canada, New York City, and Los Angeles and has been producing theater and dance shows since 2005. Her production of Sam Shepard’s Cowboy Mouth won a Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore Award and  Best Costume of 2018. Bothwell is featured in the horror-thriller Natty Knocks, directed by Dwight Little (Halloween 4) where she plays the eponymous character, working alongside horror legend Robert Englund. It will be released theatrically in July of 2023. 

SEAN HEMEON (Ex-Agent, Majordomo, Gordo) – is an L.A.-based actor and writer. His TV credits include the CW’s first gay newlywed sitcom Husbands, Rake (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), True Blood (CBS), and As the World Turns (CBS). He has appeared onstage at Boston Court Pasadena, Macha Theatre, and South Coast Rep. More recently, he produced and starred in last year’s  Hollywood Fringe Encore Award-winning show Cock which was picked up as the LA LGBT Center’s 2023 Inaugural show for its first-ever theatrical season.