Avonlea behind the scenes, circa 1993

This is vintage footage from The Road to Avonlea, partially shot by Mag Ruffman on a Hi-8 video camera, and edited together for an Avonlea fan conference 20 years ago. It opens with the art department turning an Ontario lane red to look like PEI, and finishes with Cedric Smith practicing 'All Thru the Night' on his guitar over a montage of dear young faces. Thanks to Kevin Sullivan for sharing reels of BTS footage with me way back when, so I could put this together for the show's lovely fans. Thanks to Zsolt Kozak and friends for inspiring me to find this old reel. Produced and edited by Mag Ruffman and Sue Mitchell.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction - spray-painting the road to Avonlea
00:39 Romney Penhallow introduces himself
01:14 Aunt Hetty's stunt double falling off the bridge
01:48 Hetty picks up the action in the water
03:08 Peter on Jackie
03:45 Cedric gets ready for his stunt (same bridge, different argument)
03:59 The anatomy of a stunt
04:35 Cedric gets wet
06:06 Hetty discusses her problems while loitering at the Cannery
07:12 Muriel Stacey gets fitted for a new hat
08:28 We meet Gus Pike
10:02 Jackie offers a tour of her corset
10:26 A hot day on set with Sara and Nanny
10:52 Another hot day on set 5 years later with Sarah and Cedric
11:31 Zach giving us insight on Felix's inner life
11:56 Sarah and Gema and the duelling hats
12:21 Gema discusses her first onscreen kiss
12:52 Jackie demonstrates how to kiss
13:06 Cedric recovers from a scene when Zach couldn't stop laughing
14:03 Zachary Bennett: Professional Actor
14:50 Sarah and Zach prepping a scene and singing
15:36 Jackie and Mag mud wrestling
16:19 Waiting for the pig to perform his cameo
16:40 Cedric demonstrates "Alec King Fu"
18:26 Mag explains why cast members don't wear cotton long johns
18:44 Mag explains the metaphysics of how Olivia's life will go on without her
19:23 Hetty and Olivia try to help Jasper make a home movie
20:04 Olivia helps Hetty upstairs at ramming speed
20:42 Hetty discusses the literature available in Avonlea
20:55 Dance rehearsal
22:18 Davy Keith demonstrates the joys of his orthodontic device
22:51 Three-legged race
23:07 Jasper waxes directorial
23:27 The whole cast tries to get the baby to look in the right direction
26:00 Cutaways of the cast goofing around
26:52 Cedric rehearses "All Thru the Night"
27:47 Slo-mo montage under "All Thru the Night"