Meet Joey Bothwell of JBothwell Productions in West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey Bothwell.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started dancing through my childhood and quickly knew that this life of mine was going to be on stage. I was a classically trained studio kid who wore the sparkles and false eyelashes at far too young of an age and competed across North America in dance competitions. Straight out of graduating high school, I danced on cruise ships for a few years, saw the world, grew up, gained my freshman 15, then lost it and ended up looking in the mirror and made the decision every parent dreams their kid will make. I chose to go to acting school.

I spent a year at the Vancouver film school then 8 years working in film and television in “Hollywood North”. During that grind, I understood that waiting by the phone was not my style, nor does it do dick all for one’s career. So, I started a theatre company. (Secretly Women Productions) I produced and starred in 5 productions. Some were award-winning, some were not. It was a learning curve but always guaranteed an opportunity to really grow, not only as an actor or a dancer but just generally as a good human.

Then I got hit by a car. I was riding my bicycle and woke up in a hospital. That changed everything. I was confronted with my own desires to get out from under the glass roof I had hit in Vancouver’s film industry and was called to go chase this dream all the way to LA LA land. I arrived with less than $1000 to my name and my immigration paperwork in a process with the aid of a sleazy A list manager, but that’s another story. I slept on a couch and started to build a dance company (Burlesque Beauties LA), performing and directing and producing jazz cabaret-style shows in Hollywood. I built an Audience and friendships and some adorable shows but had a hard time getting legs under my acting career. I was hiding in dancing. I retired the company at the end of 2017.
I’m now tossing my hat back into the contemporary theatre t ring (J.Bothwell Productions) and I am currently producing and starring in a play for the Hollywood Fringe festival, Cowboy Mouth by Sam Shepard.

Has it been a smooth road?
I uprooted my life and a decade’s worth of work on a career that I had been cultivating in Canada. I had to start from scratch. Immigrating here at the turn of the presidency was terrifying and rough. Sadly during my green card application process, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and I wasn’t allowed to leave the country. Once receiving my “parole” I was able to go up to Canada and got two weeks with her before she passed.

Meanwhile, I had to air B and B my place while I took care of my family up North and that ended in homeless squatters taking over my sweet LA apartment as they sold crystal meth from my doorstep.

LA is that bad boyfriend that no matter how many times I erase its number, it keeps calling me back. When I found my footing back on American soil in 2017, I was armed with my full green card and the scars a tragedy pushing me forward to persevere.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the JBothwell Productions story. Tell us more about the business.
I’m a storyteller. I’m an artist. Specifically a physical artist. I tell stories through my instrument that is my body. I’ve been at it for 3 decades and understand and trust that. My crafts are honed and ever evolving. And when nobody wants to hire me, I create my own work. Dance, Acting, Film, Television, theatre, choreographing, directing, producing, whatever, 30 years of work and experience has offered me a lifetime of learning how to make a production become a reality. I try to create momentum and then trust what moves.

If it’s in service of the art and the story, that I can’t wait to tell, I’ll make it happen and find other rad souls who want to contribute and collaborate. I’m a “doer.” One that likes to hold space for people to grow around, with and through an artistic medium. My life has been on stage or in front of a camera. Storytelling is my church, cast and crew members become family. It’s pretty special.

I’m most proud of the fact that I’m still standing! This industry isn’t kind to Women in their 30’s, still trying to “make it” in Hollywood. It is often considered as a stigma I would like to be a part of changing. Ambition and wisdom are sexy if you ask me and quite frankly life is just getting better with age. I think it’s making me a better storyteller and definitely a better human.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I can’t tell you how delighted I am. The powerful lady friends are going to be everywhere! More producers, Dps, lighting designers, grips, stage managers, writers. studio exec’s whatever they want. The ladies are going to have more of a voice and not just one that is saying “me too”. It’s going to be powerful creative voices inspiring others to be the best versions of themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: jbothwellproductions.com
• Phone: 310-993-3793
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @missjoeybothwell

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