When Leslie Gardner tires of her executive duties with the PTA Council and when Laura Chardiet runs out of ideas for energizing the School Board, the stage – a big one – awaits both ladies.
Show business is sounding a siren call for them following multiple magnificent performances last night before an enthusiastic capacity crowd of parents for the Honorary Service Awards celebration by the Culver City Council PTA.
Instead of the Culver Events Center, the showcase could have been Disney Hall, the Kirk Douglas or another stage a wee bit west of Broadway – but within seeing and hearing range of talent scouts.
Surrounded by a sparkling cast that could have been borrowed from an old MGM back lot, Ms. Chardiet, Ms. Gardner and the rest of the Awards Committee, alphabetically – Susannah Baxendale, Terry Delegeane, Brenna Guthrie, Kathie Haley, Maren Neufeld, Saira Sayeed and Larry Weiner – knitted together a dazzling 90-minute performance that showed off the Culver City school system at its polished and fun-making best.
Even Mehaul O’Leary, Mayor of Culver City for a few more hours, the proprietor of Joxer Daly’s Irish pub, turned thespian for an evening after lauditorily acquitting his bartending duties.
While smartly organized and arranged, the tasty hot fudge sundae evening resembled an historic Cecil B. DeMille production – scores of actors deftly advancing, engagingly, in scores of directions more or less simultaneously.
“PTA in the Heart of Screenland” was the theme, and still-applauding audience members will testify that no revival of “Gone with the Wind” in the last 73 years ever felt nearly this good.
Were it not for the 75 inside-insider jokes cleverly baked into the dancing and prancing script, these vigorous natural actors could take this act on the road and raise a year’s worth of money in a spoonful of nights.
Their dizzying number of costume changes and accompanying professionalism framed a once-only show.
From the moment Ms. Baxendale ignited the one-woman opening scene with a Dixie accent that would have turned the original Scarlet the envious color of Ms. Chardiet’s pea green gown, the evening was jammed with memorable scenes you will hear around town today.
Such as:
• When School Board President Karlo Silbiger stunningly treated Ms. Chariet to a pie in the face for “daring” to talk about Closed Sessions.
• Or when former School Board member and President Scott Zeidman, attired as Rhett Butler, was parrying with Scarlet Chardiet in a scene scripted with icy and ironic precision. It was about the pending retirement of Supt. Patti Jaffe in 60 days. Mr. Zeidman played a key role in her hiring. Pertly, Ms. Chardiet inquired with eye-fluttering innocence, “What about the next Superintendent ?” Snapped Rhett: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!”
On the Business Side
Bonnie Wacker and Dan O’Brien, two whirlwind parents almost hourly involved with school activities, received Honorary Service Awards.
Retiring Culver City High School Athletic Director Jerry Chabola received a touching tribute from his father.
Ms. Jaffe’s name seriously and lightly was frequently invoked throughout the program, leaving no doubt how deeply she will be missed when the school bell dings for the final time.
Awards also were delivered to the following parents:
El Marino Language School – Dorothy Bellante, Andrea Harnack, Emily Diman, Richard Emery, Greg Finnan, Doug Graham, Michael King, Samantha Miller, Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin, Nichola Marble van Dam, Olivia van de Weteringe Buys, Takako Hernandez, Eugenia Sanchez and Jill Updike.
El Rincon – Lezlie Brazil, Luz Calderon and Tiffany Beaudion Mitchell.
Farragut – Anne Charney, Robert Charney, Jodie Frantantuno, Steve Levin, Christie Ramsey, Mari Ruiz, Amy Shimerman and Bronwen Hunter.
La Ballona –Nanora Thompson, Joy Kecken, Cindy Fierro, Becky Godbey, Louis Gonzalez and Shakeitha Green.
Lin Howe – Ellie Dawson, Lili Glassman, Meera Ichharam, Anissa McCullen, Mary Richardson, Arnold Sosa, Ann Treleven, Anthony Anezquita and Marina Farberov.
Middle School – Leslie Gardner, Larry Weiner, Howard Behnken, Shele Blaisdell, Tracy Davis, Eric Foster, Brenna Guthrie, Jon Pearson, Sue Procko, Joan Salvaterra and Amy Shimoda.
Culver City High School – Carlos Valverde, Kristine Hatanaka, Tim Messmer, Ann Miks, Thelma Valverde and Melanie nDeArmond.
