Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
If you're familiar with Nickelodeon's "Avatar: The Last Airbender," this series of elements acts as a nostalgic introduction to the show.
Do you miss watching the show or want to get into it and don't know how? Glad you asked! "Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert" performed this weekend at ASU Gammage, and is now touring across the country. The closest upcoming show in Arizona is playing at Centennial Hall in Tucson on Nov. 24.
This performance is set in concert, meaning that the show will play alongside organized music. Emily Marshall, the music director and conductor of the production, approached her conducting style through willpower and utilizing drama.
"It's not like a show or concert where you play a little bit and then you stop, it goes right from one cue into the next," Marshall said, noting the stamina necessary for the performance. "Also because you are reproducing a film score, there are dramatic moments you have to show physically with your body."
From the audience perspective, the beauty of the show lies deep within these dramatic moments and cues. For Tegun Young, a senior studying chemical engineering, and Garrett Young, a master's student studying robotics and autonomous systems, the concert successfully evoked powerful emotions.
"It was just so real and beautiful, and all these people coming together, not just the musicians and the conductor, but the audience interacting with it," Tegun Young said. "It was an unreal experience."
The performance captured not only the dramatic moments, but also the more tame ones. As more mellow scenes and songs played, the calm background music allowed the audience to cherish a peaceful part of the show.
Centered around a 100-year war, Avatar often contains fighting scenes that are constantly emotional. Mastering the opposite spectrum is crucial in order for the show to be as captivating as it was.
"There's a lot of technical and trivial elements to it," Marshall said. "No matter how many times you play or listen to this show, your brain has to be on."
Watching the show while the concert music plays adds to the overall experience as well. It allows the audience to understand the visual aspect behind the music, not just focusing on the audial one.
On top of that, the visual aspect is also nostalgic, allowing audience members who grew up watching Avatar to remember key plot points and dialogues.
Jillian Puckett, a senior studying media arts & sciences, was drawn to the play because this series was a huge reminder of her childhood.
"I kept getting goosebumps all over," Puckett said. "It has such a good story that many different ages could enjoy and appreciate it."
Puckett also described it as one of the shows she often goes back to. This concert only added to the overall impression of the actual show itself.
Marshall has also conducted other shows in concert, including "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." However, what differentiates the production of "Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert" from other shows is how the visuals have been arranged.
"This overall show that you're seeing on the screen — nobody's seen in this format before," Marshall said. She provided the example of title cards prompting audience excitement and anticipation. "And then it's completely underscored when they see those scenes reproduced."
"I went through so many emotions, I mean, sadness (and) overwhelming joy," Garrett Young said.
Marshall expressed her excitement for future concerts, especially for people that haven't even seen the show. Audience members agreed.
"Even if you haven't seen it, it's still an amazing experience," Tegun Young said.
Edited by Andrew Dirst, Abigail Beck and Madeline Schmitke.
Reach the reporter at gachatht@asu.edu.
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Gokul is a sophomore studying actuarial science. This is his third semester with The State Press.
