A Canadian stage actor, Julien Arnold, has tragically passed away after experiencing a medical emergency during a performance of “A Christmas Carol” at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre.
The actor, who was also the founder of the Shakespeare theatre company, Free Will Players, died on November 24 at the age of 60.
While the specifics of his medical issue have not been disclosed, paramedics arrived at the theater around 8:28 p.m. and performed multiple resuscitation attempts on Arnold—who was playing the roles of Marley, Mr. Fezziwig, Banjo and a part of the ensemble in the production.
He was later pronounced dead at the scene, Alberta Health Services spokesperson Kerry Williamson confirmed to CBC News on November 26.
In light of his passing, the theatre announced that it would be modifying the remaining dates of its A Christmas Carol play, which is scheduled to run until Dec. 24, to allow the cast and crew time to grieve Arnold’s de@th.
Arnold had a decades-long career in theater, performing in plays such as The Taming of the Shrew, The Wizard of Oz, Twelfth Night and Sense and Sensibility. In addition to taking the stage for companies including Citadel Theatre, Northern Light Theatre and Workshop West Theatre, he was a founding member of the theater company Free Will Players, which produced Edmonton’s annual Freewill Shakespeare Festival.
In a statement to CBC News following his death, Citadel Theatre’s executive director Jessie van Rijn and artistic director Daryl Cloran expressed their heartfelt admiration for Arnold’s talent and impact on the theater community.
“His presence brought joy, heart and depth to every role,” they said in a statement to CBC News on Nov. 26, “and his artistic contributions—and big hugs—will be deeply missed.”
Rijn and Cloran added, “We are seeking privacy and are being patient as we focus on supporting Arnold’s family, the Christmas Carol production team, staff, and audience members during this difficult time.”
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