Novel Idea: Author Breeda Kelly Miller’s Book, “Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home,” Expands on the Family Immigrant Stories Shared in Her Play
Writers know that sometimes, no matter what your intentions are when you sit down to work, the process may lead you in another direction completely.
Breeda Kelly Miller, who will appear at Ann Arbor’s Schuler Books on January 30, had planned to tell her Irish immigrant mother’s story, Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home, in book form first, then perhaps adapt it into a play.
“I started writing, and the play just started taking over,” Miller said. “I thought, ‘What? Fine. I’ll just write the play first. There are no rules. I’ll just break this rule that doesn’t exist.’”
The result was a one-woman play starring Miller that premiered in Ann Arbor in October 2021 and has since played on stages around Michigan, as well as locales nationwide and in Ireland.
The play aired on Detroit PBS this past December, significantly expanding Miller’s audience, but also pressing her to strike while the iron was hot and get the book done.
That wasn’t the only motivation for the project, though. “As I wrote the play, I was consumed with guilt over all the stories I had to edit out—all the details I had to remove,” Miller said. “My dad basically became comic relief in the play, and I knew he deserved more than that. But within the constraints of a 90-minute play, I just couldn’t do it.”
Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home tells the story of Miller’s parents and older brothers’ immigration from Ireland to America—Miller’s father eventually worked as a printer for the Detroit Free Press—and her mother’s struggles to leave her family and homeland.
But it also explores her last years, during which time she suffered from vascular dementia, and Miller became her primary caregiver.
Miller aimed to make the book and the play chatty and conversational, like a friend telling you a story.
“I wanted [the book] to do two things at the same time,” said Miller. ”Complement the play, so that, if you saw the play, this will give you more background on some of the stories I touch on, and really fill in the blanks that I thought were there. But I also wanted it to be a standalone, for anyone who’s interested in family stories, in immigrant stories about the challenges of becoming an American … and then also serve the purpose of providing a really good resource for people caring for aging parents.”
This last piece is central to Miller’s larger mission. As a former “sandwich generation” foot soldier, who was both raising teenagers and caring for her mother at home for years, Miller said that while she felt supported and connected to other parents when her children were young, and could thus crowdsource solutions to problems that arose, she felt painfully alone when caring for her mother.
“I hope people [who care for elders] will feel seen and heard because this is such a common experience,” said Miller. “A universal experience that people don’t talk about. The feeling of isolation when I was my mom’s caregiver was so profound and shocking to me.”
One small reprieve Miller had while in the thick of caregiving was theater, which had long been a passion in her life. At age 17, Miller had auditioned for and won a Michigan State University scholarship for acting, but she ultimately decided she wasn’t willing to make the sacrifices necessary to build a career in that field. While caregiving, however, she auditioned and landed roles in Ann Arbor Civic Theatre shows.
“It saved my life,” said Miller. “ … I would drive to Ann Arbor [from Manchester for rehearsals], … and it was three hours that had nothing to do with caregiving, nothing to do with the kids and the house and my mom. It was a total indulgence in something that I just loved and enjoyed.”
Plus, Miller’s mom was her biggest fan.
“One day, she was lying in bed, and I’m sitting next to her, … and she pops her head up, and she says, ‘You should call that Jeff Daniels and tell him you’re available,’” Miller recalled. “I said, ‘Yeah, Mom. Sure.’”
Attendees of Miller’s book event can expect to hear her read excerpts from her book, as well as perform a couple of scenes from her play.
And in case you’re wondering what Mama Kelly might think of her story living beyond her, Miller has a quick answer.
“Oh, she is delighted,” Miller said. “Are you kidding? She’s the star of the show every night, and she loves it.”
Jenn McKee is a former staff arts reporter for The Ann Arbor News, where she primarily covered theater and film events, and also wrote general features and occasional articles on books and music.
Breeda Kelly Miller will discuss her book and play, “Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home,” at Schuler Books, 2513 Jackson Avenue, Ann Arbor, at 6:30 pm on Thursday, January 30.