The highlights of an apprenticeship on the Brisbane fringe included being a collective member Order By Numbers Theatre Troupe, in touring shows “Tall Tales from the Altered State” and “Casualties". What followed were one-woman cabaret sets “The Electric Frock”, “Flora and Fauna” and “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues”, which led to band projects The Blue Boys, playing festivals and residencies in Brisbane and the Gold Coast

In Melbourne Leah enjoyed singing with the all-women's big band Swish and providing guest vocals on two Black Taxi albums, recording the songwriting of Dave Wayman and Terry Bradford (pictured).

 > Mr Greenaway" recorded by ABC Jazz  1999

Brisbane theatre roles: Role in “Cho Cho San” (TN! Theatre Company, 1991) “The Family” Queensland Theatre Company 1994).

The 2000s saw musical and songwriting collaborations with 18 Wheels album Country Gospel De Luxe (Pictured with friends at The Zoo, 1998), and with Helen Russell two albums of bass and vocal duets, and with Jamie Clark folk-influenced albums of original material. There was also a live recording of gospel group Tell Heaven. Tell Heaven has performed annually, their heartfelt homage to the uplifting harmonies of the Staples Singers, the brilliant bluegrass of the Louvin Brothers and the hard rocking grooves of Reverend Gary Davis. Some samples of these musical projects:

> Late in Dark (18 Wheels, 2000)

> People will Say We’re in Love (Duets, 1999)

> Small Blessings (Russell & Cotterell, 2000)

> Final Stroke (Cotterell & Clark, 2010)

> The Name of this Place (Cotterell & Clark, 2010)

> Magpies (Cotterell & Clark, 2010)

Post-graduate research: Leah completed a Master of Music by Research (2015, QCGU) which explored singing performance as a means for reflecting on her experiences as a family carer. She then completed a Doctor of Musical Arts (2019, QCGU) investigating reflections on singing performance drawing on theories of social cognition. 

> 2015 Interview with ABC RN “Conversations”

> The Pleasure of Sad Songs – Masters recital

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Social history: Leah's interest in the modern jazz musicians of The Primitif led to the Letty Katts Research Fellowship at the State Library of Queensland, 2022.

> Link to  State Library of Queensland Primitif blogs

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Community Music: Leah toured nationally and regionally in an A ’capella trio Gypsy Tober (pictured) for Musica Viva Education and the Queensland Arts Council (1997-2015). Leah also has experience in music engagement in mental health and disability contexts, facilitating singing workshops for A Place to Belong, Access Arts and Wesley Arts (2015 – 2025). In 2022-2023 Leah contributed to research for an Australia Council funded project, “Professionalising the arts sector for work in mental health context”

> Professionalising the arts sector for work in mental health context

Bebopera was Tony Hobbs saxophone, Steve Russell piano, Peter Walters bass, and Ken Edie drums. Helen Russell joined on bass in 1990, the start of a long musical collaboration.

> Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love on "Tonight Live" 1991

> "You Can Have My Husband" recorded 1990.

Women in Voice: In 13 appearances in the long running musical comedy revue “Women In Voice”, early on Leah appeared in: a cross-dressing tribute to Jerry-Lee Lewis; a languorous “Dusk Attack” wearing silk pyjamas; and a debut of duet repertoire with Helen Russell. Recent WIV sets included songs about sleep, a cross-cultural exchange with Indian Australian singer Menaka (climaxing with “Rolling in the Deep” Bollywood style), and a double entry accounting for the thirty year history of this amazing local success story.

> “Carrickfergus” recorded in 1998 after it was arranged for WIV 1997

In 1998 the WIV producer also brough Leah into the cast of “Boadicea” a folk opera (pictured).​

“Foolish Things” 2003-2006: researched and performed with Helen Russell in the Queensland Music Festival, funded by the Australia Council and including co-curation of Museum of Brisbane banner exhibition

> "Last Dance at Cloudland" from "Foolish Things"

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“The Ultimate Prize” 2005: ensemble music theatre work with John Rodgers and Pearly Black presented at the Brisbane Powerhouse. (Cast pictured)

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“Whoa Tilly!” 2008-2011: program of children’s original jazz music with vocalist Barbara Fordham, funded by the BCC and touring to Sydney Children’s Festival.

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“Little Birung”: written by John Rodgers and Megan Sarmardin telling the stories of six generations of a North Queensland Indigenous family, presented in Brisbane and Cairns and touring regional FNQ (2005 – 2013).

> Courier Mail news story about Little Birung

Freelance producer: Leah was engaged as the creative producer of “Songs From Our Suburbs” mass community choir concert for Festival Brisbane 2018 and “The Genius of John Rodgers” celebrating the contributions of her friend to Queensland’s music culture (Queensland Music Festival with QPAC with the QSO).  Following John’s death in late 2024, she also worked with Pearly Black to produce the “Memorial to John Rodgers” (QPAC)

> "Eternity" recorded by the ABC at "The Genius of John Rodgers"

The Bad Choices: Leah is keen to develop original repertoire for performances with The Bad Choices in 2026, and continue to produce annual gospel concerts with Tell Heaven.

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Death and music: In 2027 Leah and Narelle McCoy hope to perform regionally and make overseas to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

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Writing: Leah's next writing project is a long form creative work based on her research about Brisbane’s music scene in the late 1950s.

Teaching: Leah has been doing sessional tutoring for the University of Southern Queensland in the Creative Arts stream (2022-2025).