Samantha: "Me?" Jake Ryan: "Yeah, you"

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While perusing this week's issue of the Boston Phoenix we came across an ad for Old School Prom on the back page. It featured a young woman in yellow strapless prom dress, updo, and attitude-full look holding a massive mirror with the words "Now who's the fairest of them all?" written on it (as if to appeal to all the 'ugly duckings' out there who want to set the record straight). The details were scant, "Old School Prom, July 1, 2006" and then the web address. No location, no time, no formal invitation - it screamed "GOOGLE ME NOW!!"

Bostonist took the bait. We wondered, what is the purpose of this event? Who do they actually expect to attend? Is this a regular night out for the Boston area? How much does it cost? Where is it being held? The list could go on... We also questioned our own sanity in spending time looking into it.

Here is the deal according the co-chairmen, Burke and Miller:

The Old School Prom will be held in Newport, RI on Saturday July 1st. Live entertainment will be provided by Those Guys, Rhode Island's best party band. As you read this, the Old School Prom prom committee is hard at work creating a special atmosphere, and we expect to have surprise guests, fantastic giveaways, and some very "old school" special effects for your entertainment.

The Prom will be held at the Newport Elks Club, an enchanting Victorian setting with true historic cachet (The building was home to the US Naval Academy during the Civil War, when it was logistically undesirable to have the academy in Annapolis.), and the event will include a full open bar and appetizers. Tickets will go on sale shortly and are only available from this Web site.

All proceeds from the Old School Prom will be donated to various New England Charities. More details on that coming soon to this Web page.

Details In brief:

* Date: Saturday, July 1st, 2006
* Time: 8:00 pm to 1:00 am (That is past our curfew here at Bostonist)
* Location: Newport Elks Club
* Cost:$75 per person/$140 per couple
* Entertainment: Live music & dancing with Those Guys, prom-themed contests & more
* How to Dress: Old-school formal wear
* Charities Supported: The Station Family Fund; Grub Street Writers Community

All we can say is that at least Prom is for a good cause THIS time. We are overall skeptical about this event though - wasn't prom awkward enough the first time? Don't you cringe at the photos you took then and cringe at the thought of taking them again? At least you won't have Mom and Dad hovering around for picture time, your principal and his wife watching you and "the love of your life" break it down to some old school jams, and the last song of the night probably won't be "Hanging By a Moment" by Lifehouse? But c'mon - don't you have better things to do than relive prom on a Saturday night now?

If the answer is no, and you get nostalgic every time you see your local salon fill up with young girls who emerge with barrel roll curls and updos circia 1950, check out the Old School Prom website for more details (and send us an e-mail to tell us all about it on July 2).

Photo courtesy of Flickr user compujeramey under Creative Commons.