Big swings with Jesus Christ Superstar, Augusta National and very fast trains

Three is a Magic Number by Steven Uhles While I am not - and I know I am not alone - a fan of big storms, I am a fan of the big idea. I love the ambition required to will the impossible into existence. Why build one pyramid when you can have three? While I understand bigger is not always better – I would hate it if my cell phone weighed 30 pounds – I will always be fascinated by big swings, big projects, and big ambitions. With that in mind, this week’s Magic Three are all focused on big ideas and big executions.  Big rocking Jesus  (L-R) Luke Amerson as Jesus, Ashley Rivera as Mary Magdalene and Ryan Abel as Judas rehearse with the cast, chorus and orchestra for the Augusta Players production of "Jesus Christ Superstar". The wonder of "Jesus Christ Superstar" is not the music or the message, but rather its malleability. The rock opera, originally staged in 1971, made into a movie in 1973 and performed by casts both large and small in perpetuity since, works because it works in so many ways for so many people and can be scaled for stages both large and small.  The Augusta Players opens its 80th Season Friday, Oct. 4 with a production that seems to skew toward epic. In addition to the cast, the Players staging includes two onstage choirs and a 43-piece orchestra and a cast of 33. That’s a lot of music being made on the Imperial Theatre’s relatively compact stage. And while there have been other "Jesus Christ Superstar" productions that have opted to go large – most notably the live television broadcast starring John Legend in the titular role – it is possible to make the production more of a chamber piece. Still, there’s something appealing about a grand story told in a grand manner and I’m excited to see the Players take on "Superstar."  Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at the Imperial Theatre.  Underground and undercover  Augusta National Golf Club is no stranger to big swings - whether construction projects or community support. I am an unapologetic fan of not only the Masters, but the Augusta National Golf Club as well. It’s an organization I have a deep and abiding respect for. I love the contributions it makes to the community I choose to call home. I love its unwavering adherence to the traditions, protocols, and etiquette of golf. I also love the way it manages its business – cards close, quality controlled and, when need be, projects big and ambitious. Over the past several years, Augusta National has built state-of-the-art facilities such as Berkmans Place, tunnels that offer access beneath the surface of Washington Road and, most recently, a three-story underground parking garage. That’s a deep dig.  What’s incredible about an Augusta National project is that, while big and ambitious, they are always executed with real discretion. Yes, summer was marked by cranes looming over Washington Road during the garage project and certain aspects of the Map & Flag project, which turned the former J.B. White building in the National Hills shopping center into an exclusive patron experience, were visible to anyone driving by, but those were unavoidable exceptions to what seems to be the Augusta National rule. Make it big and keep it quiet. Construction, at least as far as the club is concerned, should never mean disruption. That’s quite a trick, and yet it happens repeatedly. It’s like a magic trick. Want to see a subdivision disappear? Poof. It’s gone. Chew on that one David Copperfield.   Last year, Augusta National announced the construction of a new three-level facility being built for tournament players, families, and support teams, scheduled to open in 2026.   Like all Augusta National projects, we will never see it coming.  UPDATE: In the days between my final draft of this column and the posting date, Augusta National announced a $5 million donation toward local Helene relief efforts. Another big, and certainly much appreciated, move.  Midnight train in Georgia?  One of the high speed trains running between Venice and Rome in Italy. One of my favorite pie-in-the-sky ideas is the occasionally floated plan to develop high-speed rail service in Georgia. It is not, of course, without precedent. Augusta developed as a city because it was the highest navigable point on the Savannah River, making it a railroad hub and, in turn, resort town. Atlanta, as well, owes its existence to railroads. It was established as the terminus of the Western & Atlantic line. We are all descendants of the railroads.  But there isn’t much train action – apart from getting stopped by a wayward freight on Broad Street – in Augusta anymore. I suspect that’s why the occasional talk of rail expansion generally, and a high-speed line between Augusta and Atlanta specifically, generate such interest.  I love a fast train. A few years ago, I jumped on the Italian version of a bullet train in Venice and, less than four relaxing hours later, pulled up in Rome. It cost me about $100. But Italy has the infrastructure – and interest – required for high-speed rail service. The United States, with its automotive affections, hasn’t made any real rail investment, emotional or financial, in a long time. And it would indeed require investment.  Currently, there are plans afoot to build a high-speed rail service between Los Angles and San Francisco. The estimated cost is approximately $120 billion. Just the line between Bakerfield and Merced – just a little longer than an Augusta-Atlanta route – has a price tag of $35 billion. It isn’t surprising that more than a few have balked at the cost. I can’t imagine enough people wanting to get from Bakersfield to Merced that badly.  Another high-speed line, largely financed through private funding, is also planned to run between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Construction estimates for that project are unavailable, but it is estimated that tickets for the two-hour ride will cost about $400. That’s the equivalent of 15 minutes at the slots and a nice steak dinner.  So perhaps high-speed rail, at least as it exists today, isn’t quite as reasonable as we would like. But things change. Technology evolves. What seems impossible today will also certainly happen in the future. Ask anyone with a home computer. Until that day comes, the day when the High Museum and a Braves game is only a brisk hour by train, I’ll see you on I-20.  Think big. Stay safe. Be well.