Yahoo Lifestyle ‘A Christmas Carol’ Actor Dead After Mid-Performance Emergency
Julien Arnold, a stage actor who was described as a “cherished member” of the Canadian theater community in Edmonton, Alberta, died earlier this week following a mid-performance emergency. He was 60 years old, local media outlets reported.
Arnold was performing in A Christmas Carol at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 24, at the time of his death. No cause of death had been released as of Thursday, Nov. 28.
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Over the course of his stage career, Arnold performed in several shows at the Citadel Theatre. Past performances included Spamalot, Beauty and the Beast, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Wizard of Oz and The Importance of Being Earnest, among others, according to The Edmonton Journal.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Monday, Nov. 25, the Citadel Theatre remembered Arnold as “a gifted performer whose charisma and talent graced our stage in countless productions,” including the show in which he was performing at the time of his death.
“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,” the theater’s statement continued. “His presence brought joy, heart and depth to every role, and his artistic contributions - and big hugs - will be deeply missed.”
A GoFundMe page was created in the wake of Arnold’s death to support his wife. The money raised will go toward “costs related to his passing, including funeral costs, rent, groceries, and time off work to grieve,” the fundraiser’s description explained. As of Thursday morning, the GoFundMe had raised more than $55,000 from more than 600 donations.
Three days after Arnold’s death, the Citadel Theatre shared another post on social media expressing gratitude “for the outpouring of support from our community and across the country for Julien Arnold, his family, friends, the Christmas Carol company, and our Citadel team.” The venue’s remaining run of A Christmas Carol, which is slated to continue until Dec. 24, will be dedicated to Arnold’s memory.
