A 3-page AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED by the American Stage Actress BEATRICE CAMERON MANSFIELD, offering to perform a speech from Shakespeare's plays.

New London, Connecticut, April 19th, 1933., 1933.. Very good. - Over 115 words penned in purple ink on three sides of a folded sheet, each measuring 7-5/8 inches high by 5-3/4 inches wide, with the New London, Connecticut address of Mrs. C.A. Sackett crossed out at the top of the cover sheet. The letter is silked and the sheets were likely separated in order to do so and, once silked, reattached to again form a single folded sheet. Beatrice Cameron apologizes for not answering Mr. Maxwell sooner. She is returning to New York from New London and is "much interested in the programme outlined in your letter - and should like to take a part in it - If no one else is to 'do,' a speech from 'Portia' or 'Lady Anne' in Richard III, either of those might be possible." She would be willing to accept "whatever you pay to other artists whose name stands in the rank that the name I bear holds...." Signed "Beatrice Mansfield". Silking was a preservation and restoration process popular in the late 19th and early 20th century and can be reversed. Near fine.

The American stage actress Beatrice Cameron (1868-1940) was a spectator at a rehearsal of "The Midnight Marriage" at the Madison Square Theatre on Broadway when a member of the cast fell ill. Volunteering to take over the part, she learned the lines and dance steps overnight and made her theatrical debut. She performed with Robert B. Mantell's company before joining that of Richard Mansfield in 1886. Starting with a role in the comedy "Prince Carl", she then played Angnes Carew in the Broadway and London productions of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". She appeared in "Lesbia" and "Richard III" in London. Cameron was the first actress to play the role of "Nora" in Ibsen's controversial play "A Doll's House" when it opened at the Palmer Theatre on Broadway in 1889. Beatrice Cameron married Richard Mansfield in 1892 and later retired in 1898. She came back for a post retirement final performance as Raina in Shaw's "Arms and the Man" in 1900.