The Ember Island Players were all professionals, however their pay was relatively low. Almost all of them wished to advance to a greater stage. Their plays featured overly-dramatic acting and dazzling special effects. They performed The Boy in the Iceberg, written by Earth Kingdom playwright Pu-on Tim. They also frequently performed - or "butchered", according to Zuko - the play, Love amongst the Dragons. When Zuko was young, his mother used to take their family to see their plays.