Some serious theater nerdom is hitting New York City in all the right places. The 16th Annual New York International Fringe Festival runs from August 11th-26th all over the city and then some. Over 200 theater companies both teeny and large are staging random and scheduled instances of theater at a variety of venues while inadvertently competing for a litany of awards in overall excellence. 200 hundred companies?! We know — so many choices. Let’s break down some of the must see events at Fringe Fest. Check the accompanying websites for information regarding showtimes.

Names of the Dead
by Vanessa Lenz Neithardt
The Connelly Theater at 220 East 4th Street, $15 advance, $18 at the door

What demons would cause a veteran to consider suicide? This is a story of Jared, a veteran of the war in Iraq who may or may not take his own life before the final curtain call.

Prelude to Memories, and a Broken Love Song
by Susana Fuentes
The Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond Street, $15 advance, $18 at the door

Directed by Brazilian filmmaker Eunice Gutman, this play tells the all too familiar tale of a woman learning to get her life back on track after the end of a relationship. This is a one-woman play, written and performed by Susana Fuentes using music, movement, and found objects. Fun fact: Fuentes has a PhD in Comparative Literature.

Dumber Faster
by David Mogolov
Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, $15 advance, $18 at the door

How dumb can a man be? If he has a smartphone, that makes him smart by default, right? If Google is in the palm of his hand, how is he not a genius? Join writer/director David Mogolov for his solo show about technology and intelligence…or lack thereof.