Veteran and beloved theatre artist Julien Arnold has died after suffering a medical emergency while performing onstage at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre.
The 60-year-old Canadian stage actor was playing the roles of Marley, Mr. Fezziwig and Banjo during a production of A Christmas Carol when the emergency occurred on November 24.
Paramedics arrived around 8.28pm and despite multiple resuscitation attempts, Arnold passed away in the theatre.
The cause of his death has not yet been made public by officials.
Shortly after, the theatre issued a lengthy tribute about him – noting that he was ‘a gifted performer’ and was loved dearly by the community.
‘It is with heavy hearts we share the news of the sudden passing of Julien Arnold, a beloved actor and dear friend of the Citadel Theatre.
‘A cherished member of the Edmonton theatre community, Julien was a gifted performer whose charisma and talent graced our stage in countless productions, including A Christmas Carol.
‘Julien’s passing is a profound loss to his family, friends, fellow Carol company members, Citadel staff and the Edmonton community he loved so dearly.
‘His presence brought joy, heart and depth to every role, and his artistic contributions – and big hugs – will be deeply missed.
‘In his honor, this season’s run of A Christmas Carol is dedicated to his memory. We kindly ask for respect for his family’s privacy during this difficult time. Your love, support, and well wishes are deeply appreciated.’
The Punctuate Theatre, where the deceased actor’s wife Sheiny Satanove serves as managing director, also the paid tribute.
‘Julien was a cherished member of the Edmonton theatre community whose warmth, talent, and generosity touched so many lives he left us ‘as he lived — immersed in his passion for theatre,’ the statement read.
The prolific actor grew up in Edmonton and graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor of fine arts in 1989.He earned a Master of Fine Arts from the school in directing in 2006.
Arnold was also a founding member of Free Will Players which is the company that produces the Freewill Shakespeare Festival in Edmonton.
David Horak, the festival’s artistic director, noted that Arnold had been a fixture in Edmonton’s theatre community for many years.
‘He just had the ability to create characters that had the biggest hearts in the world, and he was like that as well, as a person,’ he told CBC.
Horak also said Arnold had a gift for making complex and difficult texts conversational.
‘There’s nobody, nobody quite like him,’ he said.
In light of his passing, the Citadel theater announced that it would be modifying the remaining dates of its play to allow cast and crew members to mourn Arnold.
The theatre has also launched a GoFundMe page to support his newly-widowed wife.
As of now, the crowdfunding page $55,350 Canadian dollars out of its $75,000 goal
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