PEI

P.E.I. prom pics: blast from the past

Some of P.E.I.'s well-known personalities dug through their photo albums to share the nostalgia of what is arguably one of the biggest moments in a teen's social life: prom.

'I paid a family friend $30 for gas money to be my date'

Prom is a time to shake off the tension of exams and show off those skills on the dance floor. (Sydney Brink/Associated Press)

Emotions run high this time of year in homes in which teens are graduating. And it's not just final-exam jitters. It's all about prom: the date. The clothes. The parties. The hair! 

What could be more fun than dashing down a memory lane filled with acres of tafetta and a nose full of hair spray?

CBC asked some of P.E.I.'s well-known faces to dig through their photo albums and share the nostalgia of what is arguably one of the biggest moments in a teen's social life.

Bruce Rainnie 

Stylin'! Bruce Rainnie and Christine Frankin were the height of glamour before their 1985 prom. No surprise -- Bruce was also class valedictorian. (Submitted by Bruce Rainnie )

The CBC News: Compass host graduated from Dartmouth High School in Dartmouth, N.S., in 1985, and prom fell on June 20 — his birthday. Even now, he describes his gray tux as "stylish." 

Bruce's date Christine Frankin was one of his "best pals" throughout high school, so "she had to be the one I asked. Glad she accepted!" 

They danced the night away to the John Alphonse band. Frankin went on to become a lawyer in Ottawa, Ont.. 

Eddy Quinn 

Eddy Quinn and friends, from left to right: Darren MacEachern, Eddy, his cousin Mikey Quinn in the shades and 'Shep' Greg Shepard. (Submitted by Eddy Quinn )

"Oh we thought we were cool," said Eddy Quinn, the lead singer with Fiddler's Sons -- arguably the most successful and best-known country folk band on P.E.I. 

He does not have a photo of himself and his date, just this one of his buddies — typical country boy.

"Great lads and still the best friends a guy could want!" Eddy said, who admits to having "coasted" through Montague Regional High School, graduating in 1992. 

Martha MacIsaac 

Martha MacIsaac with her posse of gal pals at prom. She's second from right in the red strapless dress. (Submitted by Irene MacIsaac)

Martha MacIsaac grew up in front of our eyes as Emily on the long-running CBC television series Emily of New Moon, and graduated from Colonel Gray High School in Charlottetown in 2002. 

MacIsaac is still in show biz, living in Los Angeles, Calif.. Her latest effort is the lead role in the award-winning historic TV series The Pinkertons, shot in Canada.   

Her mum Irene shares that MacIsaac has just finished shooting a major movie, Battle of the Sexes with Steve Carrell of The Office and her pal Emma Stone, with whom she starred in 2007's Superbad. The website IMDb.com reports the movie will be released in 2017.

MacIsaac's prom date Derek Ellis, although not pictured, is still one of her best friends.

Tyler Murnaghan  

Pretty in Pink! Tyler Murnaghan and his friend Kelly McGrath went to prom together last year. (Submitted by Tyler Murnaghan)

The chairman of Pride P.E.I., Tyler Murnaghan, graduated just last year from Colonel Gray High School in Charlottetown. 

Tyler is looking pretty spiffy in his black suit and pale pink tie, which coordinates with his date Kelly McGrath's gown. 

"[Prom] was never really that important since I didn't have someone special to be my date," shared Murnaghan. He and McGrath had become friends on student council that year, so went together. 

Leanne Butler

Leanne Butler paid a family friend $30 in gas money to take her to prom. (Submitted by Leanne Butler)

Leanne Butler was the public face of the RCMP on P.E.I. as their spokeswoman for the past couple of years, and is now supervisor of police operations with Queens District RCMP. 

She graduated in 1987 from Clarenville High School in Clarenville, N.L.

"I paid a family friend $30 for gas money to be my date," Butler revealed. "It's now a family joke," she laughed.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Leanne Butler is in charge of Queens District RCMP. In fact, she is the supervisor of police operations with Queens District RCMP.
    Jun 22, 2016 1:01 PM AT