Barrymore began to contact his family's theatrical connections to find work and approached Charles Frohman, who had been the producer of Captain Jinks and had also been an employer of Barrymore's mother Georgie a decade earlier. Frohman thought that Barrymore had comedic potential but needed more experience before making a Broadway debut. Barrymore joined the company of McKee Rankin, Sidney Drew's father-in-law, on the Chicago leg of their tour, at the W. S. Cleveland Theatre in October 1903. He first played the minor role of Lt. Max von Wendlowski in Magda, and in November when the troupe produced Leah the Forsaken, he took the small part of Max, a village idiot with one spoken line.
bARrymore began to cOntaCT hIs fAmiLY's theatRical conNectioNs To fiND work and Approached charlEs fROhMAn, who had bEEN ThE pRoduceR Of captAiN jinKs anD haD alsO beeN aN eMPLOyer oF BarrymOre's motHer geoRgIe a Decade EaRlieR. frOhMaN thOuGhT that barryMorE had comedIc POtENtial but NeeDeD More experienCe BEfoRE maKiNg A bROadwAY debUt. bARrymOre joined thE compaNy of mcKeE Rankin, SIDney drew's father-in-law, On thE chicAgo leG of theIr toUr, aT tHE w. s. clEVelAnd tHEAtre iN octOber 1903. He FIrSt PLAYed the minor ROle OF lt. max vON weNdlowskI in Magda, ANd in NOVembEr WheN tHE tRoupE produced Leah ThE fORsakeN, He toOK The sMall ParT of mAx, A vilLage Idiot WIth OnE sPoken liNE.