After having spent many grueling months working on the Children Theatre’s production of “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” junior Greta Nackerud said she felt it was an amazing experience.

“It was a really professional and impressive environment. I learned a lot from from the company members—people who get casted in every show,” Nackerud said. “I guess I learned a lot about acting that I didn’t know before. It was really fun, it was one of the best experiences in my life by far.”

According to Nick Stanger, the stage manager for “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Nackerud was a part of the ensemble of Whos in the show.

“(Greta) was great — she was one of our ensemble members and ensemble really requires everyone to come together as a group,” Stanger said.

Nackerud said she had to take several classes online because of the long practices each day.

“I did half my classes online. I took choir, Spanish and English here and then I took Chemistry, Algebra and U.S. History online,” Nackerud said. “I missed four days a week for two months. It was quite the commitment, but I figured it out.”

According to Nackerud, her parents expressed initial hesitation because she would be missing so much school, but eventually realized the magnitude of this experience.

“I guess (my parents) knew what a good experience it was and what a great opportunity it was and if you turn down a role, you don’t really get another opportunity to do it,” Nackerud said. “They let me do it, but they were very hesitant about it.”

Stanger said Nackerud also helped fill in when other cast members had to miss rehearsal.

“Greta was just good at helping to pick up pieces, like a lot of times she would cover stuff—we would give her understudy duties,” Stanger said. “If someone would have to miss a performance, then an understudy will cover some of what they do. So there were a lot of instances where someone would be sick, and then we would ask Greta to cover something for them, which she did an awesome job of.”

Nackerud said she discovered the Children’s Theater would be holding auditions on Instagram. She said she has plans to audition for next year’s winter production as well.

“(The Children’s Theatre) posted they were doing Grinch again, and I wanted to audition, so I signed up online, and then I auditioned some time last year in March,” Nackerud said. “I plan on auditioning for the winter show next year, and I plan on auditioning for the spring show next year, just really anything that they’re putting on that I can.”

According to Nackerud, after 87 performances and several months of five-hour-long practices, the show ended Jan. 7.

“Children’s Theatre had a total of 87 performances, not counting the previews and the in-rehearsal performances,” Nackerud said.

According to Stanger, he is not directly involved in the casting process, but he works with the actors from rehearsals through the performances.

“I actually am not involved in the casting process, I don’t really know too much about it,” Stanger said. “I kind of start with the actors just right before rehearsals start and then I kind of guide them through rehearsals into the performances.”

Nackerud said depending on the college she attends, she might consider theater as a future career option.

“I would love to go into theater,” Nackerud said. “I think it kind of depends on what college I get into.”