When Mary Hollis Inboden takes the stage for her comedic one-woman show, “Bad Dates,” in January, it will be a full-circle moment as she returns with new perspective to the community where her love for acting began.

A talented actor and writer, Inboden began working in television in 2011 appearing as Mary in “The Chicago Code.” She is best known for her roles as a series regular as Jodi O’Neal in “The Real O’Neals,” Patty O’Connor in “Kevin Can F**k Himself” and Mandy in the “The Righteous Gemstones.” While she continues to work and audition for new roles in other cities, Jonesboro is now once again her home base. In addition to collaborating locally with The Link Theatre Company and The Foundation of Arts, she has also found new purpose in coming back to her roots — teaching and inspiring talented young students who desire to work in theater or on screen.

Dreaming Big on the Outskirts of Bono

The daughter of Hollis “Kim” and Toni Inboden, Mary Hollis Inboden and her older brother, Lee, were raised near Bono. A 2004 graduate of Westside High School, Inboden attended the University of Memphis on a full scholarship for a short time before setting her sights on opportunities in the big city and moving to Chicago.

She describes both of her parents as being musically talented.

“My mom plays piano and guitar and sings, and my dad can play just about anything by ear,” said Inboden. “The month I learned most of the colorful language I know today — that was the month he decided to teach himself to play a left-handed Hofner Bass like Paul McCartney — despite being very much right-handed.”

Singing, Inboden says, was always encouraged in their home. 

“My parents are music collectors — records, CDs, you name it,” she said. “Almost every week, my dad would take me with him to Hastings or Planet Music in Memphis, where he’d let me pick out a CD. There was only one rule: He got to veto ‘the bad from the good.’ Pop music of the time was off-limits, so I was stuck with oldies or musicals. My very first CDs? The double-disc ‘Les Misérables’ soundtrack and, naturally, The Beatles’ ‘White Album.’ I think I was five.”

As a child, Inboden said her dad would often let her tag along while building sets or performing in productions at a community theater in Walnut Ridge.

“I’d tag along, often falling asleep to the sounds of him hammering away or rehearsing with the cast,” said Inboden. “I just felt like I belonged there. Seeing those people transform on stage — the costumes, the lights, the audience — it all just made sense to me. It reminds me of my coaching business, the power of influence. If young artists have access to theater, music and art, they can begin to picture a life for themselves in the arts.”

Her mother, whom Inboden describes as an avid fan of theater and television, was a little more shy about performing.

“She worked at KAIT for years, so when I wasn’t at Front Street (Theatre) with Dad, I was glued to Mom’s ‘I Love Lucy’ or Mary Tyler Moore box sets, trying my best to be just like them,” she said.

It wouldn’t be long, however, until the budding young actor found her way onto a stage of her own. 

“I did a production of “Mother Goose Stories” at The Foundation of Arts when I was really young. I played a pivotal role as an unnamed mouse or something like that, and from that moment on, it was absolutely over for me,” said Inboden. “I loved it so much. I don’t remember a whole lot, but one thing sticks out: I didn’t have to catch a ball, I didn’t have to run anywhere or dive for anything, I didn’t have to be good at math, and I think my parents even brought me flowers on opening night. It was my place.”

After that performance, Inboden said she spent the next three years auditioning for “Annie” During that time, she appeared in countless productions across Northeast Arkansas, including shows at The Forum Theater in Jonesboro, Collins Theatre in Paragould and Front Street Theatre in Walnut Ridge.

“Much to my disappointment, I never got the role of Annie,” said Inboden. “Maybe it was a long shot anyway — after all, instead of Annie’s spindly frame and signature red hair, I looked more like a tootsie roll with bangs.”

Her first lead role in a play was in a production at Front Street Theatre in Walnut Ridge.

“I did a production of ‘The Goodbye Girl,’ a little-known ’70s musical, playing the precocious 12-year-old daughter of a struggling actress,” she said. “That role felt like the first time I really understood that theater is about more than just being up there and soaking in attention. It’s about telling a story, embodying someone with a completely different life, and yes … sometimes saying cuss words in front of your grandparents in the front row and not worrying, because in that moment, you aren’t you. You’re Lucy, a smart-aleck kid from Manhattan, living in a studio apartment with her struggling single mom.”

It was during that show that Inboden realized the transformative power of acting.

“After the show, I remember thinking what an incredible escape,” she said. “Theater has always been like traveling to me – sitting in the backseat of my parents' Ford Explorer as they drove us away from the theater and back home to our very rural house on the outskirts of Bono. It was fabulous.” 

As a young adult, Inboden says countless people helped hone her acting skills including Gay Jackson, who directed her first performance in The Foundation of Arts’ “Mother Goose Stories” and later became her high school theater teacher at Westside; Carrie Mae Snapp, who directed shows at Front Street Theatre in Walnut Ridge, and Keith Salter, who directed her in The FOA’s production of “Annie” one summer.

“Growing up in a small town gave me a gift I didn’t fully appreciate as a kid — the peace to daydream and imagine without distraction,” said Inboden. “I’m convinced that’s part of why Southerners are such good storytellers. I come from a long line of hard workers, and every one of them has supported my pursuit of acting on one condition — that I work just as hard.

“There’s a misconception that artists are flaky or lazy, but I know my success comes from being raised by a family and a community that believed in effort and persistence. Countless teachers at my tiny rural school got behind my big dreams early on, and the town of Bono —hardly a hub for theater — leaned in when I said, ‘This is what I want to do.’ Their support and example of hard work have made all the difference.”

Inboden says she was fortunate that her parents never tried to dissuade her from pursuing acting.

“They had a deep appreciation for theater and music and made sure my older brother and I were exposed to the arts from an early age,” she said. “Their only condition was that we take whatever work we pursued seriously and commit to it fully. I come from a long line of hardworking people in Bono, Arkansas, and the expectation was never about choosing a ‘safe’ path, it was about showing up with your whole self and doing the work. As a coach now, I’m deeply grateful to the parents whose kids I work with. I often tell them – gently, and this is my personal philosophy – that when a backup plan is emphasized too strongly, it can quietly become the plan. Young actors need confidence and permission to commit fully, even though that kind of belief can feel scary. Kim and Toni Inboden’s example, guidance and support are what have led to my success.”

The Shooting on The Playground

Inboden was a sixth-grade student at Westside Middle School on March 24, 1998, when one of her classmates, 11-year-old Andrew Golden, entered the building soon after students returned from lunch. After pulling the fire alarm, he and another heavily-armed classmate, 13-year-old Mitchell Johnson, hid in the nearby woods and began shooting as students and teachers exited the building onto the playground. Inboden recalls seeing her best friend, Paige Herring, not moving as she and other students ran to the nearby gymnasium. Herring was killed that day along with three other girls and their beloved sixth-grade English teacher, Shannon Wright. Ten others were injured in the shooting.

The Westside school shooting, which happened 13 months before Columbine, shook the entire country. The media — local, regional, national and international — converged on the Westside campus and in nearby Jonesboro for months. News helicopters flew over the school and surrounding area, and media-owned satellite trucks appeared from near and far. 

Inboden recalls faking illness every Tuesday after the shooting because she associated the day of the week that the shooting took place with death. Although she eventually overcame her fear of Tuesdays, spring is still a harsh reminder. Students had just returned from spring break one day before the shooting.

For Inboden and many others impacted by the shooting nearly 30 years ago, the month of March often roars in like a gut punch. As the grass turns green and dogwoods bloom along Crowley’s Ridge, the trauma finds a way to resurface.

Looking back, Inboden says she knows theater played a profound role in helping her cope after the shooting. 

“I didn’t fully understand it, but theater, and the friends I found there, offered both a literal and emotional refuge,” she said. “I had long been involved in theater outside of school, but after the shooting, it was like therapy. In rehearsal, I wasn’t a child navigating trauma – I was a character with a purpose, a story and a sense of agency. Stepping into other lives allowed me to carry the weight of my own more gently and made the day-to-day reality of returning to school feel doable. Theater also gave me a safe space to process big emotions. I think theater saved my life.”

After moving to Chicago as a young adult, Inboden collaborated with her friend and playwright Evan Linder, along with The New Colony Theatre Company, to write a play called “The Warriors.” The play, which details her own experience as a Westside Middle School shooting survivor and that of her classmates, was first staged in 2011. The play was revived in 2014 to support victims and families affected by the Sandy Hook School shooting in Newtown, Conn., and continues to be used today to help families and survivors who have experienced similar tragedies.

‘Bad Dates’ and A Big Return

After spending roughly 20 years pursuing opportunities in theater and television in Chicago and Los Angeles, Inboden realized she was missing out on other things in life.

“Although I continue to audition and work as an actor, I was ultimately drawn back to Northeast Arkansas by a desire for community, balance and the opportunity to invest in a place that shaped me,” she said. Returning home felt less like stepping away from the industry and more like expanding how I participate in it.

“Since I left Jonesboro after high school, theater opportunities here have grown exponentially. More recently, the return of working professional actors and performers to the area has significantly strengthened training and mentorship. Through our collective experience, friendships and national connections, Jonesboro is becoming a credible place for theater education.”

What excites her most about those new opportunities is what it means for young artists in the area.

“Students now have access to training and insight that prepares them for college theater programs or professional careers beyond Jonesboro, should they choose that path,” said Inboden. “As a result, the work itself has improved — the shows are better as young actors develop a greater respect for the work. It’s incredibly gratifying to witness and be part of that growth.”

Since returning to Jonesboro in 2023, Inboden said working with students in Jonesboro while auditioning and working on her own gigs has been incredibly rewarding.    

“While living in Chicago and Los Angeles gave me invaluable training, exposure and experience, returning to Jonesboro has given that experience a deeper sense of purpose,” she said. “There is an extraordinary amount of talent here, and I’m grateful to have found a meaningful way to contribute.

“I was fortunate to have inspiring teachers and directors in my early years, and my career since then has given me in-depth knowledge of both the craft of acting and the realities of the business. Twelve-year-old me would have loved to have access to that insight, and it’s a joy to now offer students practical tools, honest guidance and encouragement while serving as a working example of what’s possible. My hope is that Northeast Arkansas will continue to produce confident, well-prepared artists who feel empowered to pursue their paths, wherever they may lead.”

Last summer, Inboden started NEA Theatre Club to bring her private studio students together with other young actors in Jonesboro for a monthly group acting experience.

“Some of the exercises I use in my private coaching are most effective in a group setting, and because acting is fundamentally a collaborative art, NEA Theatre Club emphasizes ensemble work and shared discovery,” she said. “The club meets once a month and is designed for young actors who want to strengthen their skills in a supportive, playful and focused environment. Often, our sessions revolve around a show that is about to audition locally, allowing students to explore scripts, develop characters, work on scenes and build practical audition skills. We also incorporate theater games and improvisation – an element the students have especially embraced, much to the delight of the improviser in me.”

NEA Theatre Club meets each month at Story Rentals on Gee Street and includes pizza. For more information about upcoming meetings and participation, visit @NEATheatreClub on Instagram.

Inboden says a career in acting can be rewarding but may also be full of challenges.

“I remind students that acting is, at its core, play – it should be joyful, curious and alive,” she said. “But sustaining a career requires learning to love the work when no one is watching: the rehearsal, the preparation, the auditions and the waiting. There won’t always be a performance scheduled or an audience applauding, and that’s where commitment is tested.

She admits that at times, the journey can be heartbreaking.

“I hear ‘no’ more times in a week than I can count, but I continue because I genuinely love the work itself,” said Inboden. 

Although she has performed on stage and in several successful television series, Inboden says theater is her first love.

“There is nothing quite like the exchange between actors and audience – live theater doesn’t exist without that shared presence,” she said. “I love its immediacy, its beating heart and the way it creates a collective experience. Somewhere along the way, I stopped thinking of performance as ‘look at me’ and began to understand the responsibility of the work: I’ve asked an audience to show up, and my job is to tell them a story that helps them see and feel something. That sense of responsibility is something I don’t take lightly.

To date, Inboden says her favorite character has been Patty O’Connor in the series “Kevin Can F**k Himself.”

“She represented a real departure from the comedic work I’d done previously and required me to stretch in new ways,” the actor said. “From the particular Boston accent to her tough exterior and complicated inner life, Patty was nothing like me, which made the challenge both intimidating and deeply rewarding. We filmed in Boston, a city that takes authenticity seriously, so getting her right mattered. I worked hard to ground her truthfully and uncover her layers, and that process made the role especially fulfilling. And of course, I love Mandy on ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ – no accent work required and falling in potato salad while scream-crying will never not be fun. They paid me to do that. I love my job!”

Currently, Inboden is rehearsing for her return to the stage in January to the delight of friends, family and colleagues in Northeast Arkansas.

“‘Bad Dates’ is a smart, funny one-woman show drawn from nearly 20 years of very real, very unfortunate dating experiences – territory I know well both as a woman and as an actress,” said Inboden. “What excites me most about bringing it to Jonesboro is the opportunity to offer theater specifically for adult audiences. Over the years, opportunities for children and young artists in our community have grown exponentially, which is wonderful, but a truly vibrant arts scene also serves adults. This show is for anyone who has dated, loved, been disappointed, laughed at themselves, or simply enjoys sharp storytelling and live performance. By offering a wider range of theatrical experiences, we continue to build a more dynamic, engaged, and culturally-rich community.”

The Link Theatre Company is producing “Bad Dates,” its first one-woman show, in collaboration with Inboden.

“This production is unique because it strips theater down to its core – a single storyteller and an audience – amplifying emotion, character and theme through the sheer force of one woman's performance and narrative,” said Jenny Powers, The Link’s executive director. “With no other actors, the audience will invest deeply in one voice, creating a powerful, almost private experience, like being inside the character's head. With our star being from this community and a familiar face, I expect audiences to be even more impacted by Mary Hollis' character and performance.” 

As part of The Link’s mission to integrate professional, university and local talent in first-rate, world-class productions, “Bad Dates” Director Kimberly Senior, an award-winning director, teacher and author, will offer a one-day theater workshop for ages 12-17 on Jan. 19 in conjunction with The Link while she is in Jonesboro. The session will be held at Studio 402 in Downtown Jonesboro and will focus on character development and performance techniques.

“Bringing in guest artists who have had extensive careers in theater is extremely educational and inspiring for our community members directly collaborating with them on the show or experiencing their performances from the audience,” said Powers. “Because these professional actors and directors have star power and experience, they also help to increase tourism in Jonesboro, drive economic growth and provide unique cultural insights, as well as mentorship opportunities for area youth.”

“Bad Dates” starring Mary Hollis Inboden runs Jan. 22-24 at The Lounge, 313 W. Huntington Ave. in Jonesboro. To purchase tickets for the show or find out more about the upcoming theater workshop with Kimberly Senior, visit thelinktheatre.org.