George Clooney’s Activism, Plus ‘Josephine and I’

It pains us to say it, but if there was an event that could have benefited from the presence of a few Kardashian sisters, it was the launch of the 100 Lives initiative on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal reports.

100 Lives was founded by Ruben Vardanyan,the former chief executive of the Russian investment bank Troika Dialog; Noubar Afeyan, the founder of Flagship Ventures; andVartan Gregorian, the president of the Carnegie Corporation. The idea is to bring attention to the Armenian Genocide, which was 100 years ago.

Messrs. Vardanyan, Gregorian and Afeyan have established the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, which will involve an annual grant of $1 million. The first will be awarded by George Clooney in Armenia in April of 2016.

Mr. Clooney, who is currently filming a movie in New York, and his wife, Amal, were present at the Harold Pratt House on the Upper East Side for the 100 Lives launch Tuesday, so it is even more painful to admit the sore lacking in Kardashians at this very earnest event.

Perhaps we are using the term “Kardashians” here as a substitute for “sizzle,” but please recall that the Kardashians are, without a doubt, the most famous Armenians at the moment anywhere in the world. Though there were references on Tuesday to Charles Aznavour, Cher and Andre Agassi, there was nary a mention of Kim, Khloe, Kendall, Kris or even Kanye.

Instead, there was a nearly two-hour long program that included various speakers, short films, a performance by an Armenian opera singer and even a panel involving a serious discussion between Messrs. Clooney and Vardanyan. Mr. Clooney is involved because of the dovetailing goals of his humanitarian organization, Not On Our Watch.

“We’re looking at prevention,” said Mr. Clooney, who was often drowned out by an extremely loud translator at the back of Peter G. Peterson Hall. “We don’t want to do triage at the end.”

He noted that a major problem with celebrities and philanthropic causes is “apathy,” that it’s a challenge to keep discussion and interest alive.

It was impossible to feel any apathy—let alone think about the Kardashians—down at the Public Theater, where the actress Cush Jumbo, who recently starred opposite Hugh Jackman on Broadway in “The River,” celebrated the opening of her electrifying one-woman show “Josephine and I” about the actress and dancer Josephine Baker.

It originated at London’s Bush Theatre in the summer of 2013 and plays at Joe’s Pub through early April.

During her time, Ms. Baker, like Mr. Clooney, was an activist, particularly when it came to civil rights. Phyllida Lloyd, the director of “Josephine and I,” said some Brits told her and Ms. Jumbo to “tread carefully” when approaching American audiences. But, in particular, Tracey Ullman and Meryl Streep (who won an Oscar for “The Iron Lady,” directed by Ms. Lloyd), urged the duo to bring the show to New York.

“Meryl said, ‘What’s the problem? Get the hell over there!’ ” recalled Ms. Lloyd.

Ms. Streep was just one of the opening night attendees and Ms. Jumbo blamed her and Anne Hathaway for how long it took her to move from her dressing room to the afterparty.

In the Library restaurant, guests like Janet McTeer, Fiona Shaw, Andrea Glimcher, producer Arielle Tepper Madover, the Public’s Oskar Eustis, Susan Fales-Hill, Ms. Jumbo’s parents and Ms. Hathaway’s husband Adam Schulman gathered to toast the 29-year-old British actress.

Ms. Jumbo wrote “Josephine and I” four years ago in her parent’s attic—in part, she said, “because the work I was doing was so crap and it was hurting my heart.” The show chronicles Ms. Baker’s rise to fame, then fall, then rise again.

It also involves the use of dolls, specifically to represent Ms. Baker’s many adopted children. “We didn’t have the budget for real children,” said Ms. Lloyd.

Interspersed are elements of Ms. Jumbo’s own life as an actress.

“About 85% of the girl’s stories are true, and the other stories are from other actresses that I know,” said Ms. Jumbo.

She explained that the experience of acting, singing and dancing for 90 minutes straight was exhausting, “but I don’t get tired of it. I love doing it. It’s a part of my life and a part of my lifestyle.”

On the day of a performance, “I don’t do much except not talk,” said Ms. Jumbo. And usually after, “I go home and sleep.”

“I haven’t had a drink in six weeks,” she said. “But I will definitely have a drink tonight.”