Some ogres live under a bridge. Others are swoon-worthy.

Shrek, the large, grumpy, green ogre, star of a children’s book, Disney movie, and musical, is the latter.

Third House Arts, a new community theater group, will mount “Shrek: The Musical” Thursday through Saturday in their host theater at Colorado Springs Christian School.

“The movie representation of ‘Shrek’ is iconic, but we approached our story quite authentically,” said director Christy Inama. “Every actor was given the space to play during rehearsals to meld their own personal traits and interpretations with the written characters.”

An ogre and a princess?

Shrek, an ogre just minding his own business while living in a cozy swamp, is inundated one day by scores of fairytale characters, like the Three Blind Mice and the Three Little Pigs, who have been exiled from the kingdom by Lord Farquaad and need a new place to live. Shrek isn’t having it. He takes a journey to the kingdom, picks up a new donkey pal along the way, and confronts Farquaad. The lord of the land offers Shrek a deal he can’t resist: Rescue Princess Fiona from where she’s trapped so Farquaad can marry her, and he’ll find new homes for all the misfit fairytale folks.

“The show never stints on spectacle or laughs, making it a viable contender for a slice of the Disney market on Broadway,” wrote a Variety critic after the musical opened on Broadway, starring Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona.

Julia Schooley, who helps run Third House Arts, stars as one of those fairytale characters – the Gingerbread Man, aka Gingy.

“I’m having fun playing with voices. This show is a blast with an impactful and close-to-home message,” Schooley said. “Everyone belongs and just because you’re an ogre doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love. It’s on-brand messaging for us. It felt like the right show for us right now.”

Who first dreamed up “Shrek?”

William Steig. He’s the author and cartoonist of the 1990 children’s book, “Shrek,” which inspired the 2001 animated film, which inspired the 2008 musical with a score by Jeanine Tesori and a book and lyrics by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire.

What is Third House Arts?

Third House Arts was born at a kitchen table, where Jennifer and Chris Schooley and their three kids sat and daydreamed about opening a theater company.

The family had a rich background in performing, beginning with Jennifer, who performed in Psalty the Singing Songbook in Southern California. That love of theater trickled down to her children, who participated in theater around the Pikes Peak region, including daughter Julia, who acted with the Academy of Children’s Theatre. She now teaches for various theater companies around Colorado Springs.

Third House officially launched in June, and its first show, “Curtains: The Musical Comedy Whodunit!,” opened in September.

“Third House Arts formed as a direct result of our family’s longtime dream to create a space where the stage is open to all, while upholding excellence in performance and collaboration with one another,” said co-director and artistic director Jennifer.

The season

The 2026 season was mostly planned over a family group text. Julia put together a long list of possible shows, and she and her mom talked about how to connect a few to make a comprehensive season. Hope seemed to be the prevailing theme, with “Shrek” kicking things off, followed by two Tony Award winners: “Titanic: The Musical” in August and Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” in September. “Anastasia” will zip up the season in December.

“Every character in ‘Shrek’ has a longing within them to be loved and accepted for who they are,” Inama said. “It’s the story of a brave ogre rescuing a princess and providing a home for misfits in society. While his motives are intrinsically selfish – to validate his desires for isolation – his journey creates space for all characters, including himself, to not only freely exist, but be celebrated for their unique offerings.”

IF YOU GO

What: “Shrek: The Musical,” by Third House Arts

When: 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Colorado Springs Christian School, 4855 Mallow Road

Price: $15-$20; 719-357-5667, thirdhousearts.com