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A call to creatives with a story to tell or an idea worth spreading is now open.

Applications are being accepted for the Seventh Annual TEDxAsburyPark conference, returning May 18 at the Paramount Theatre on the Asbury Park Boardwalk.

This year, the theme is chaos: the void, the unknown, the absurd, the mess, the mystery; the consistency of inconsistency, organizers say. And, along the way, there are a couple live auditions to help first timers work out the kinks before an intimate and supportive audience.

“Life is chaotic, but that needn’t be frightening,” said Brian Smiga, co-founder of TEDxAsburyPark. “We’re looking for speakers to share how they’ve wrangled chaos via the sharing of ideas, music, comedy, science, design, and beyond. We aim to fill our audience with the confidence to embrace chaos, whatever their chaos may be.”

The first live audition will be held 6:30 pm Nov. 15 at the Paramount Theatre, located at 1300 Ocean Ave. The free event is open to public, with a suggested donation of $10 to $25, organizers said.

TEDxAsburyPark is an annual volunteer-organized event dedicated to education, community, and innovation, organizers said. Each year, a different theme culminates in a day of stimulating non-fiction theater.  

In its first year at the Paramount Theatre, speakers and entertainers addressed the theme of identity. This past year, passion was the central focus.

The daylong event features TED-style talks by myriad speakers, as well as art, music, comedy, dance, and theatrical performances; all tied to a central theme.

Founded in 2012, the independent collaboration moved to Asbury Park in 2016 through a partnership with Asbury Park boardwalk redeveloper Madison Marquette. Today, TEDxAsburyPark is one of the largest and highest-rated TEDx conferences on the East Coast, quickly selling out the 1500 seat theater. Well over 100 businesses, nonprofit leaders, professionals, students from local universities, and sponsors plan, manage and help fund the all-day event.

Individuals interested in speaking or performing at CHAOS can also submit an applications at TEDxAsburyPark.com through December 15. But applications for the first live audition are due Oct 25.

[Photo courtesy of TEDxAsburyPark]

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