Sybil Summers

Sybil Summers (19**-) is a dancer, performer, artist's agent and manager.

Biography

Three times a British Dancing champion and a stage performer, who performed in cabaret throughout the world. Mother of agent and businessman Geoff Burmeister.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

She arrived in South Africa with Bill Brewer's Singing Stars in 1948. Settling in Cape Town she became well known for her appearances in pantomimes - the first being Cinderella - and other performances at the Luxurama Theatre.

She did several plays with Leonard Schach including Look Homeward Angel,

Also worked for Taubie Kushlick, inter alia playing the lead in No, No, Nanette (1972).

She went on to become the sourcing agent for the Quibell Brothers and their various international shows, for example bringing Norman Wisdom to South Africa (becoming his local agent and personal manager), followed by other British performers such as Cilla Black, Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers.

She eventually founded the Sybil Summers Agency in Cape Town, which she ran with her son, Geoff Burmeister, and became involved with Three Arts Theatre and for a time owned on a lease the Labia Theatre.

Among the shows and performers she has been involved with as agent or manager have been:

1973: Cilla Black, The Kokusai Revue (performed by the Japanese Shochiku Revue Troupe from Tokyo’s Kokusai Theatre)

1975: Rosemarie on Ice, Sinbad on Ice,

1976: Harry Secombe (Rhodesia)

1978: Monte Carlo Revue (December)

1979: The Temptations (May), Wilson Pickett (July), Chris de Burgh (September), Millie Jackson (October), Max Bygraves (November), Spike Milligan (November)

1980: Shelly Berman (January), Brook Benton (January), George Zamphir (February), The Platters (February), Chubby Checker and Freddie and the Dreamers (March), Carnival La District Six (March), Betty Wright (April), Roberta Kelly and O.C. Smith (July), Dobie Gray (July) Clarence Carter (August), Tina Turner (August).