[img]1233|left|Laura Chardiet||no_popup[/img]If you had heard Laura Chardiet wind up and pitch her specialized version of “Proud Mary” last Saturday night at Joxer Daly’s Irish pub, you would not have to ask again between now and Nov. 8 why she is running for the School Board.
Usually, office-seekers are much too self-conscious to perform before anyone but family.
If nudged, Ms. Chardiet, an administrator with LAUSD who has carved a parallel PTA career in Culver City, not only will break into melodies, she will dance, too.
Just ask and she will tell you, with verve, “I love to sing and I love to dance.”
Once not so many years ago — before two-children motherhood — she entertained the notion of a career in entertainment.
If she wins election in 77 days, and if next year’s School Board meetings veer toward dull — remember, Steve Gourley is retiring — it may be handy to know Ms. Chardiet has a background in musical theatre.
“I studied at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion theatre workshop when I was in my early 20s,” she says.
Disillusionment was not far behind.
“When you start, you think ‘this is going to be a lot of fun.
“ ‘I’m going to sing. I’m going to dance. I’m going to act.’
“When you move to L.A. to pursue that kind of career, it turns out to be more 80 percent business and 20 percent show. You don’t go in thinking ‘I am going to be a business person,’ but that is what you really need to succeed.”
Glancing over her left shoulder at what was and what might have been, Ms. Chardiet says, wistfully, “I am glad I did it. I tried, I did my dreams to be an actress.”
But here is where Ms. Chardiet twirled and executed a smart pirouette:
“My dreams to be a mother were much greater.”
And so, for the first time since Saturday night, here is her version of “Proud Mary,” School Board candidate-style:
Did a good job in Culver City
When I was the prez of the PTA
Now I’m runnin’ for the School Board and I can make it better
Come on, people, listen to what I got to say
Big wheels keep on turnin’
Culver Kids keep on learnin’
Runnin’, Runnin’, Runnin’ for the School Board
Baked a lot a cakes for bake sales
Taught a lot of dances and wrote grants, too
I can take a good thing and then make it better
Let me show you people just what I can do
Big wheels keep on turnin’
Culver Kids keep on learnin’
Runnin’, Runnin’, Runnin’ for the School Board
If you give me your vote in November
You’ll elect a woman who gets things done
We don’t have to worry, that we got no money
Together we can find a way to get us some
Big wheels keep on turnin’
Culver Kids keep on learnin’
Runnin’, Runnin’, Runnin’ for the School Board
Runnin’, Runnin’, Runnin’ for the School Board
Among Saturday night’s fundraiser attendees were were Ed and Marla Wolkowitz, Madeline and Paul Erhlich, Jerry and Janet Chabola, Andy and Doneil Weissman, Joy and Scott Keckan, Kevin and Kathie Haley, Leslie and Gordon Gardner, Scott Malsin, Kathy Paspalis, Richard and Paula Hibbs, Alisha Martin, Maren Neufeld, Brenna Guthrie Margaret Coleman, Amy and Bob Warner along with friends, neighbors and co-workers.
