Shane O'Shea is a young Jersey City, New Jersey man in the late 1970's, handsome enough to eventually become a bartender at Studio 54. He leaves behind his small-town life in New Jersey to come to New York City and be part of the hip scene. And comes to Studio 54, gaining admittance by officially taking off his uncool small-town shirt. There he befriends aspiring singer Anita and her husband, Greg Randazzo. Things between Shane, Anita and Greg develop into a love triangle and inevitably fall apart. He begins a real relationship with soap-opera actress Julie Black. His little sister Grace wants to indulge in the same decadent lifestyle, but Shane tries to dissuade her. Shane gets sucked into the hard-partying scene at Studio 54; as his life spirals downward, so does the club. The beloved Disco Dottie dies one night and Shane is upset and refuses to continue. Steve fires Shane and Shane is bounced from the nightclub in disgrace as he attempts to warn everyone that the FBI has arrived when finally owner and founder Steve Rubell's criminal activities are officially confirmed. Steve is arrested, tried and convicted. He is sent to prison and the club is seized, shut down. It's then re-opened and put into new hands--becoming entirely compromised. Every other club starts to do what Studio 54 did and it is no longer special. Everyone has a fall from grace, especially Steve himself. The original gang appears for one final night where Steve is allowed to run the club his way. Shane and Julie break up, but decide to remain native "Jersey" friends. Shane goes to business school and we hear Julie got a small part in a respectable film. Greg and Anita are still together and she has released an album.