Julien Arnold, a seasoned Canadian stage actor, tragically died during a performance in a holiday production at a theater in Alberta, causing a wave of grief in the artistic community.
During a Sunday evening performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 24, 2024, Arnold, 60, suffered a fatal medical emergency. Paramedics were called to the scene around 8:28 p.m., however their resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
Arnold was portraying several characters in the production, including Marley, Mr. Fezziwig, and Banjo. The production was set to continue until Christmas Eve.
Having built a remarkable career over three decades, Arnold was a founding member of the Free Will Players theater company, responsible for Edmonton’s annual Freewill Shakespeare Festival. He had an extensive range of roles under his belt, including the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz”, Cogsworth in “Beauty and the Beast”, and Bottom in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
In a public statement, the Citadel Theatre announced that the remaining performances of this season’s “A Christmas Carol” would be dedicated to Arnold’s memory. They described his contribution to the theatre as filled with joy, heart, and depth and expressed that his artistic presence and warm embraces would be greatly missed.
Punctuate! Theatre, where Arnold’s widow Sheiny Satanove is the managing director, issued a statement honoring Arnold as an “exceptionally talented performer” who passed away while indulging in his love for theatre.
The theater community has united in their support for Satanove, starting a fundraising campaign to help with funeral expenses, rent, groceries, and time off work. The campaign has already garnered over 55,000 Canadian dollars, equivalent to approximately 43,000 US dollars.