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Run, run, engine: Jamie Hook will defend the existence of Santa Claus, seen here visiting Marine Park on a day with no snow, during a lecture on Dec. 23. Photo by Steve Solomonson
A worthy Claus
Children’s show proves the existence of Saint Nick
YBy Rose Adams es, Brooklyn, there is a Santa
Claus!
A one-man theatrical
presentation will use philosophical
arguments and historical analysis to
convince skeptical children that Santa
Claus is coming to town. “Beyond
Belief: A Philosophical Proof of Santa
Claus” will drop down the chimney
into Greenpoint’s Park Church Co-op
on Dec. 23 and dive into the history
and ideology behind Christmas. The
lecture aims to restore holiday cheer to
Brooklyn’s non-believers, and to show
children that belief is an integral part of
the human experience, said its creator.
“The first 20 minutes of the show is a
deconstruction of all the elements that go
into Santa Claus,” explained Jamie Hook,
a Greenpoint filmmaker and theater
producer. “It helps us understand why we
believe in anything.”
The 90-minute SLED Talk includes a
slideshow outlining the holiday’s history,
an extravagant light display, and a
discussion with young audience members
that brings the beloved Christmas icon to
life, Hook said.
“We establish a unitarian version of
Santa Claus that works for everyone,” he
said, adding that most children leave the
presentation convinced that some version
of Santa exists.
Hook has led the show five times now,
first writing it after seeing how dejected
his friend’s son became after a classmate,
and later his father, told him that Santa
wasn’t real.
“That kid spiraled into a holiday
season depression,” Hook said.
The boy’s dispirited Christmas season
inspired Hook to devise an explanation
of Santa’s existence that hinges on a few
basic philosophical proofs often used to
prove the existence of God. Hook argues,
for example, that while people never see
Santa planting his gifts, they can see his
charitable and jolly traits reflected around
the world, and that the age-old Christmas
story is rooted in true historical events
and traditions.
“Because all this stuff exists, it has to
point to something more profound than
your parents buying you presents and
putting them under the tree,” he said.
More convincing, though, are the
children’s discussions about Santa during
the show, which help fill in each others’
doubts about the jolly old elf. According
to Hook, the youngest attendees often
re-convince their older siblings that Santa
Claus is real.
“I’ve often had it that older siblings
hear their younger brothers and sisters
profess this deep belief … A majority
tend to be persuaded back into believing,”
he said.
Hook is offering his simple phrases
to kids from 7 to 92. Tiny tots may not
be willing to sit still, but the whole
family might find their eyes all a-glow,
he said.
“It’s actually really fun for parents
because it brings us back to this space
where we ask ourselves, ‘Why do we do
this?’ ” said Hook.
“Beyond Belief: A Philosophical Proof
of Santa Claus” at The Park Church
Co-op 129 Russell St. between Nassau
and Driggs Avenues in Greenpoint,
(917) 426–1596, www.parkchurchcoop.
org. Dec. 23 at 7:30 pm. $15 suggested
donation.
Your entertainment
guide Page 37
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HOW TO REACH US
COURIER L 2 IFE, DEC. 13-19, 2019
POWER TOWER!
Developers unveil ‘fully electric’ skyscraper at 80 Flatbush development
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
This development’s all out
of gas!
A Dumbo-based development
fi rm unveiled designs for
an all-electric high-rise to be
included in Boerum Hill’s 80
Flatbush mega-project, bringing
good clean living and hundreds
of luxury apartments to
the borough, according to one
builder.
“As developers, we should
be doing everything we can to
plan for the future,” said Jared
Della Valle, chief executive offi
cer at Alloy Development. “In
the same way that we aren’t
running copper phone lines to
each apartment anymore, we
don’t think running gas lines
makes sense either.”
The building at the corner
of State Street will be just
a few feet shy of the nearby
Williamsburg Savings Bank
tower in height, and is the
shorter of two planned towers
included in the overall 80 Flatbush
development, which also
encompasses three existing
buildings due for substantial
renovations.
The upcoming tower will
house 256 apartments featuring
all electric systems and
appliances, such as kitchen
equipment, water heaters, and
climate control, according to
the developer.
Tenants will share the
building with businesses occupying
100,000 square feet of
offi ce space and 30,000 square
feet of retail space. All work is
expected to begin this spring.
Alloy will also begin construction
this spring of two
new public schools located on
State Street, including a 350-
seat elementary school and the
new Khalil Gibran International
Academy high school,
of which the latter is located
in a crumbling building on
the 80 Flatbush Ave. lot.
The schools are designed
by Manhattan-based fi rm Architecture
Instead of gas, 100 Flatbush will use electricity to power utilities like hot water heating, HVAC, and kitchen
equipment. Photo courtesy of Alloy Development
Research Offi ce to
conform to the Passive House
standard, which requires
buildings to be constructed to
maintain comfortable temperatures
year round while using
the least amount of energy
possible.
This includes a highly-insulated
exterior, triple-pane
windows, daylight exposure
for all classrooms and energy
effi cient air-conditioners, according
to the developer.
Construction on the schools
is slated to wrap in 2023, according
to Alloy.
This marks the fi rst of two
phases for the massive fi vebuilding
project, which the
city approved during a controversial
land-use review last
year.
The full 80 Flatbush project
is due to be completed by
2026 and will also include a
69-story, 840-foot tall residential
tower, a total of nearly 900
units of housing, some 200 of
which will be below-marketrate,
along with 200,000 square
feet of offi ce space and 40,000
square feet of retail.
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