Jamestown Arts Center

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JAC TALKS: Studio 54: unparalleled nights; unparalleled influence

Thursday, July 18th, 6:00 pm

A multi-media show & discussion with R. J. Hay, Jr., author of 54 Nights— a self-published, nonfiction book that commemorated Studio’s 40th and won the approval of Ian Schrager, Marc Benecke and Sirius XM’s Studio 54 channel.

The book recounts 54 actual nights that the author spent at Studio during its unparalleled first 2 1⁄2 years. In the words of Quest Magazine: “In its formidable, intimate way, Hay’s 54 Nights gives us a director’s-seat view inside and behind the scenes.” The book also contains the only existing documentation of the playlists of Studio’s main DJ, the late Richie Kaczor, as the author personally recorded playlists on a monthly basis. 

Bob is a native Rhode Islander and a graduate of Brown University and NYU’s Stern School of Business. He’s a brand strategist who has advised clients such as American Express, Danone, J&J, Kraft, Merck and Unilever. Over the past 3 years, he’s been the architect of the most meaningful initiative of his career: helping a multinational’s largest franchise become a champion of cultivating Resilience among youth. Since this initiative launched, MIT, Harvard, Oxford, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the British monarchy have independently verified the importance of developing resilience in our volatile world. 

He has appeared on Sirius XM’s Studio 54 channel twice. His on-the-air insight about Studio’s link to Freedom was subsequently affirmed by many, most notably Studio’s founder. Bob is honored to have both firsthand experience and a brand expert’s insight about the most legendary institution that the world has ever seen. 

$10 General Admission  |  $8 JAC Members