Actor Julien Arnold has died while performing A Christmas Carol on stage.
Arnold, 60, suffered a medical emergency while the play was taking place at Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Canada on 24 November. He was playing Marley, Mr Fezziwig and Banjo in a production of the Charles Dickens classic.
According to reports, emergency services arrived at the premises around 8.28pm but, despite multiple resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A cause of death is yet to be revealed.
“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,” the company announced in a statement.
“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.”
It continued: “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.”
A GoFundMe campaign was launched in support of his wife Sheiny Satanove, who is the managing director of The Punctuate Theatre.
The page aims to raise $75,000 (£42,000) to assist Satanove with “costs related to his passing, including funeral costs, rent, groceries, and time off work to grieve.” It reads: “A cherished member of the Edmonton theatre community, Julien left us doing what he loved most.” Over $55,000 (£31,000) has been raised so far.
Satanove’s Punctuate Theatre also paid tribute to the star in a statement that read, “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.”
According to IMDB, Arnold’s other credits include the TV series Mentors (1998) and the movie White Coats (2005).
