Charlie Blum's Sinatra Show Sells Out, Earns Standing Ovation

Charlie Blum was every bit the genuine article Sunday afternoon at the Marco Players Theater as he entertained the sold-out crowd by turning his Sinatra’s “Great American Songbook” show into a one-man variety show.

By the time the venerable entertainment executive finished his final song, the audience sprung to their feet to reward him with a rousing standing ovation.

Blum, who spent his 40-plus year career booking and promoting the top acts in the land, looked completely at home in the role usually played by his clients. Between songs the polished singer engaged the audience with comedy, impersonations, storytelling, and game show antics - and they loved every minute of it.

Blum delivered splendid versions of a number of Sinatra standards, along with favorites by Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, and Tom Jones. The show clocked in at just over two hours. He used the theatre’s sound system for the music, since, as he said, “You’re not going to fit the Nelson Riddle Orchestra inside the Marco Players Theater."

Many songs were introduced by way of spellbinding inside stories from Blum’s career working with some of the biggest names in show business, like Sinatra, Liberace, Aretha Franklin, and Michael Jackson.

He shared a story about his father taking him to see Broadway and movie star, Carol Channing, in Atlantic City when he was a youngster. His father urged him to ask Channing for her autograph. Blum then delivered a spot-on impersonation of the Tony, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning actress refusing to sign a piece of paper for him. Instead, she told him to write the St. James Theater for her signature.

Blum told the audience, “Remember folks, karma is a killer.”

Years later Channing starred in a musical at a theater Blum was managing. At the end of the show, he was presented with a stack of checks to sign for the performers. At the bottom of the pile was a check with Channing’s name. This time Blum didn’t sign his name on the check for Channing.

“I sat by waiting for the phone to ring in my office,” Blum said. “She said, ‘Mr. Blum, this is Miss Channing. Can you come by my dressing room for a moment?’ I said, ‘I sure can!’”

When he got there, Channing asked for his signature on the check.

“I was dying to say, ‘Write to the St. James Theatre,’” Blum said, "But I didn’t. Instead, I said, ‘Miss Channing, you give me yours and I’ll give you mine.' And she did. Karma ladies and gentlemen, karma.”

The Marco Players Theater audience was under his spell. Blum then introduced an audience participation piece to the show, walking into the audience to engage the patrons in some show business trivia. There were a few correct answers, but the real comedy came when audience members couldn’t answer some of the easiest questions. Blum had the audience rolling with his good-natured ribbing of the contestants.

“I thought it was absolutely fantastic,” said Karen Famiglietti, who attended the show with her husband. “Charlie is a great, great performer, a wonderful voice. It was a tribute to everybody in the genre. It was great!”

“I was really pleased,” Blum said after the performance. “I didn’t know what to expect, so I threw in some comedy bits. It helps blend it together, especially when you don’t have an orchestra on stage. I’m glad I did it this way. The audience was into it. I felt good knowing it got applause.”

“It was the best show I’ve ever seen,” Mary DiNeno enthused, “that’s the music I grew up with in high school and college. I just thought it was wonderful. It’s the greatest thing. He should have been doing this his whole life. He could go places with this - but I don’t want him to leave Marco Island."