If you have ever attended a production at Erickson Theatre you might find the path to the stage for this current production a bit unfamiliar as you snake your way through back hallways, down a flight of stairs and through a rehearsal room, before being ushered to your seat.

It may be unintended, but this twisting path to your seat might well represent the emotions that you’ll find drudged up in this production of “The Events.”

The journey is well worth it.  

The stage itself is bare, with only an upright piano at one end and a table strewn with mugs and a coffee urn at the other.

Given that the “The Events” is a personal exploration of the emotional and psychological toll that mass shootings can take on those left behind, the stark stage underscores the raw emotions that slowly boil up to the surface over the play’s 100 minutes.

The fictional mass shooting (the story was written by David Greig in response to a 2011 mass killing in Norway) centers on Claire, (Sarah Harlett ) a survivor of a senseless attack on a community choir, and the shooter who is simply referred to as The Boy (Conner Neddersen) .

The die is cast early on when The Boy makes his troubling declaration,

“If I’m going to make a mark on the world I have to do it now. The only means I have are art or violence. And I was never food at drawing.”

As Claire tries to reconcile being the lone survivor and come to terms with the motives that precipitated The Boy’s act of evil, other characters enter who try to help Claire along her path of discovery including a psychiatrist, a journalist, Claire’s partner, The Boy’s father, and an unintended close friend.

All of these characters are played by Neddersen as he switches deftly out of his character as The Boy and into the various supporting roles. The change in characters happen almost seamlessly and, with the exception of Claire’s partner, are a success.

The other character in “The Events” is the choir, which represents another manifestation of the tragic events Claire is trying to resolve. As in other productions of this play, a different choir takes the stage at each performance.

Opening night saw an amalgam of members from various choirs across the city. Learning their music individually before coming together as a group for one pre-show rehearsal created a few issues, but it gained strength as the play spiraled to its conclusion.

In the end, Claire comes face-to-face with The Boy, and ultimately her inner struggles.

The question that remains for Claire, and for all of us in the audience, is whether she will be able to reconcile her feelings, forgive and move past this trauma.

Presented by Intiman Theatre, The Events runs July 18 through August 10 at Erickson Theatre. With the support of Intiman donors and sponsors, The Events is free and open to the public. RSVP for tickets here.