Cellist Leah Coloff just won a Grammy and for some reason, she’s playing to a small room of unsuspecting Fringe-goers who may not have appreciated the innate talent in front of us. The irony of this is the story she tells — a heart-wrenching tale about her relationship with her father, a cello player who wanted his daughter to continue his legacy.

Although he passed away many years earlier, Leah uncovers a letter he wrote to her cello teacher — full of love, condescension, and all the other complicated feelings in a fraught relationship between parent and child. Many years removed from this relationship, with a Grammy win and impressive credits under her belt, Leah finds a relatable way into her story.

Mixing together various genres with live music, cleverly-written jokes, and an emphasis on storytelling, Leah is a clear star who can command the stage. Her unique style of cello-playing, playing pizzicato and using a bow for a number of different musical tidbits, Leah underscores her story with classical familiarities and original pieces.

While it’s clear that Leah is not a comedian, but an actor and storyteller, the story could benefit from a few more comedic punch-ups. Even still, Leah’s musicality and presence create an experience to behold that could even leave on in tears by the end. Leah’s experience with her overbearing and unempathetic father could have driven her down a path of hating the cello.

Instead, Leah finds her path to expressing herself through music as a form of rebellion, which leads her to the culmination of the show in an emotionally chilling final song. Leah’s voice is infectious, unique, and graceful, morphing her expression with the cello and proving her a worthy Grammy winner. Her run may have ended, but hopefully her Fringe career has a long future ahead.

‘Super Second Rate‘ has finished its run