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Hello Dere! Starring Comedian Marty Allen and Singing Sensation Karon Kate Blackwell at The South Point Showroom June 12-13

Marty Allen still remains the reigning champion of comedians. With the sensational vocal cords of stage partner, Karon Kate Blackwell, the Allen and Blackwell team is without a doubt today’s Burns & Allen. 

Marty is among the last generation of the Vegas vintage performers that include Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Nat King Cole.

Upon graduating high school in Pittsburgh, Marty immediately joined the Air Force. While stationed in Italy, he attained the rank of Sergeant and earned a Soldier’s Medal of Valor for his bravery during a fire which happened while a plane was being refueled. Marty saw the potential for disaster and jumped into the cab of the fuel truck and drove it away, preventing an explosion. He then raced back to the plane, crawled into the bomb bay and rolled on the flames to extinguish the fire. His heroism earned him a full-dress parade.

After the war and to supplement his GI Bill allotment, he became the first door-to-door dance salesman.

During the 1950s, Marty worked as an opening act for stars such as Sarah Vaughan, Eydie Gorme and Nat King Cole. It was at this time he became part of the comedy team of Allen & Rossi. The duo comedy team produced a string of hit comedy albums, made 40 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and starred in the film The Last of the Secret Agents. Allen & Rossi appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show the same night as The Beatles.

Throughout the 1970s and into the 80s, Marty made hundreds of television appearances, becoming a regular on Hollywood Squares. He also appeared on Circus of the Stars, on games shows such as Password and in ten made-for-television movies.

Karon Kate Blackwell was born and raised near Ellisville, Mississippi. As a vocalist, she can glide effortlessly from country to rhythm and blues and gospel to a ballad by Irving Berlin. As a musician, she can pound out a rock ‘n’ roll song on the piano Jerry Lee Lewis style or take an old-fashioned ragtime tune and really make it swing. Several of the songs she sings are her own compositions.

Karon Kate’s boogie-woogie at the piano brings the house to their feet every time. She sings a lot of nostalgic favorites, and often includes her own compositions such as Wedding Vows, a song she wrote for Marty for their wedding day. One of Karon Kate’s singles entitled, I Can’t Laugh was a Cashbox “pick of the week” selection in 1994.

Together, Marty and his talented wife and stage partner explode with a passion for entertaining. Anything can happen and usually does when Marty and Karon Kate hit the stage. Anything from Marty donning a curly gray haired wig, a mini dress and garter and singing a duet of Big Spender as Shirley MacLaine alongside a straight faced, Karon Kate dressed in one of her many gorgeous gowns. Another shenanigan has Karon Kate as a ventriloquist, with Marty as her very humorous and talkative “dummy.” Karon Kate plays the straight woman to the very funny man whose appearance alone is enough to make anyone laugh.

The South Point Showroom is an intimate 404 seat venue featuring table and booth seating. Show time is 7:30 PM. Tickets priced from $15.00 plus tax can be purchased by calling the box office at 702-796-7111 ext. 77136.