- ‘ the ‘ Asbury Arts Collective ’ – ‘( the collective )’ for short . New Jersey Stage spoke with Renée Bang Allen ( Broadway actress , singer , and playwright ) whose first full-length play is 54 - The Musical . This year marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of Studio 54 in New York City , and the disco era , a revolutionary period of popular music and culture .
What inspired you to write a musical placed in the setting of
Studio 54 ? As the child of an avid fan of disco and funk music ( my Swedish-born mother ), it is no surprise that I would someday write a piece involving music from this time period . Having been too young to have ever had the chance to attend Studio 54 , I did my fair share of club going when I eventually moved to the City after high school . I miss the days of “ let your hair all the way down with no strings attached ” clubbing - both the good and bad of