Stumbling Stones: The John Rosenberg Story is a solo play performed by Jeff Sherr that spans continents and generations, from fleeing Nazi Germany to standing with civil rights workers in Mississippi and coalfield families in Kentucky. Through decades of courtroom battles and community organizing, the play becomes a testament to memory, resilience, and the power of collective action—with an intimate thread of love and partnership at its heart. Ultimately, it’s a story of hope, reminding us that the work of justice is never finished and inspiring us to repair the world we live in today, stone by stone. See synopsis…
Play Trailer (3 min)
- “The story he told is compelling, cogent and performed with a seeming effortlessness in embodying the person of John Rosenberg.” — Scott White, Woodford Sun – See full review
John Rosenberg, who escaped Nazi Germany as a child, became a lifelong advocate for justice—first in the U.S. Air Force and then at the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, where he helped investigate voting-rights cases, including those involving Fannie Lou Hamer and the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner.
In 1970, with his wife, Jean, he founded AppalReD in eastern Kentucky. There, he took on environmental and property-rights battles while Jean quietly built community through education, relationships, and support for families. Their shared legacy transformed memory into action, strengthening rural towns through resilience, rights, and hope. See more…
- “A needed dose of hope in a time crying out for it.”
— Scott White, Woodford Sun – See full review
Performer and playwright Jeff Sherr has spent his life at the intersection of justice and storytelling. For over thirty years, he has trained public defenders nationwide to carry forward the voices of those unheard, helping them craft narratives of dignity and courage in the face of power. A seasoned performer with a background in theater and improvisation, Jeff now brings his experience full circle in Stumbling Stones: The John Rosenberg Story, weaving his passion for performance with a lifelong dedication to amplifying the stories that matter most. See more…
Wherever Stumbling Stones is performed, the story sparks conversation, memory, and connection.
“amazing”
“extraordinary”
“moving, hopeful, and beautifully told story of courage, love, and justice”
“thoughtful, easy to follow, and at time tear jerking”
“beautifully told story of courage, love, and justice”
CLE Providers – see the CLE Toolkit for the play
A one-man play about this great Eastern Kentuckian deserves a wider audience | Lexington Herald Leader
“To fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause” is a lyric from “The Impossible Dream.” Few people today make such a commitment. Yet, one who did lives in Prestonsburg: John Rosenberg.
Rosenberg’s story of his quest to “fight for the right” is acted out intelligently by Jeff Sherr in his one-man play, “Stumbling Stones.” It opens with the experiences and values that molded Rosenberg into a powerful force for change in Kentucky’s Appalachia – a change that was at the forefront of the legal battles over Kentucky’s broad form deed that treated Eastern Kentucky as a colony ruled by a Coal Combine of aloof landlords. It gave them the right to remove “by any means necessary” minerals below the ground’s surface. To them, “black coal,” was more important than people’s welfare.
Because “Stumbling Stones” transforms Rosenberg’s local fight against the Broad Form Deed into a nationwide theme-the individual against an unjust machine-and because Sherr’s performance is compelling, its moral urgency will grab audiences far beyond Appalachia by the lapels. This play demands staging in academic venues like UK’s Singletary Center to maximize its educational and civic impact.
James Kurz, Lexington
Suggested Donations
If Stumbling Stones moved you, please consider contributing to AppalReD Legal Aid or choose one of the other organizations John recommends below.
If you donate, a note such as “In appreciation of Stumbling Stones and John Rosenberg’s work” honors the inspiration behind your gift and helps connect compassion to action.
