Sybil Summers

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


Biography

Three times a British Dancing champion and a stage performer,

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

She arrived in South Africa with Bill Brewer's Seeing 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 also did several plays with Leonard Schach and Toby Kushlick, inter alia playing the lead No No Nanette.

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 manager), followed by Cilla Black, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers.

She eventually founded the Sybil Summers Agency, 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.

Sources

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [1]: pp.

Mona de Beer. 1995. Who Did What in South Africa. Johannesburg: Ad Donker.

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Rough notes received from her son, Geoff Burmeister

"My mother Sybil Summers was British Dancing champion three times and one lots of awards. She arrived in this country with Bill Brewer's Seeing Stars in 1948, becoming well known for pantomimes in Cape Town and did several plays with Leonard Schach at the Luxarama theater in for to go in Cape Town off the ground with the first show being Cinderella and

She later became the sourcing agent for The Quibell's and the international shows, After bringing Norman Wisdom to South Africa she became his agent and manager and from that managed to get Cilla Black and from there Harry Secombe Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers as their managers.

After bringing Norman Wisdom to South Africa she became his agent and manager and from that managed to get Cilla Black and from there Harry Secombe Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers as their managers. My mother worked a lot with Toby Kushnick and was the lead in No No Nanette. She also made the gold fester in curtain for the three arts for which we have been playing an active part in, she also owned on a lease the Labia theater after Mr Michael's died."

My mother Sybil Summers was British Dancing champion three times and one lots of awards. She arrived in this country with Bill Brewer's Seeing Stars in 1948, becoming well known for pantomimes in Cape Town and did several plays with Leonard Schach at the Luxarama theater in for to go in Cape Town off the ground with the first show being Cinderella and She later became the sourcing agent for The Quibell's and the international shows. After bringing Norman Wisdom to South Africa she became his agent and manager and from that managed to get Cilla Black and from there Harry Secombe Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers as their managers. My mother worked a lot with Toby Kushnick and was the lead in No No Nanette.

Sources

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

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

Go to the ESAT Bibliography

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