Sybil Summers

Sybil Summers (19**-) was 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.

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 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 Cilla Black, Harry Secombe, 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 managed have been:

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),

1980: Shelly Berman (January)

1982:

1983:

1984:

1985:

Sources

E-mail correspondence from Geoff Burmeister, 21 April, 2017.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-burmeister-780a1215/?ppe=1

Programme for the Kokusai Revue (courtesy of Geoff Burmeister)

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