Veteran Edmonton actor Julien Arnold dies during performance at Citadel Theatre

On November 29, 2024By Littum

Edmonton actor Julien Arnold died Sunday night following a medical emergency during a performance of A Christmas carol at the Citadel Theatre.

The Citadel’s executive director, Jessie van Rijn, and artistic director, Daryl Cloran, said in a statement Monday that Arnold was a beloved cast member and a valued member of Edmonton’s theater community.

“His presence brought joy, heart and depth to every role, and his artistic contributions – and big hugs – will be deeply missed,” they said.

They thanked the theatre’s front-of-house team, medical professionals from the audience and paramedics “for their swift actions” on Sunday. The statement did not specify the cause of Arnold’s death.

Kerry Williamson, a spokesperson for Alberta Health Services, said paramedics attended the theater at approximately 8:28 p.m. Sunday.

Despite resuscitation attempts, Arnold died in the theatre.

He played the roles of Marley and Mr. Fezziwig in the play, according to the Citadel playbook.

Cloran and van Rijn said there will be slight changes to the schedule for future performances and the box office will contact affected ticket holders.

Two men are sitting on a motorcycle. — Julien Arnold and Troy O’Donnell perform in Taming of the Shrew at the Freewill Shakespeare Festival in 1996. (Submitted by David Horak)

“We ask for some privacy and patience as we turn our attention to supporting family members, the Christmas Carol company, staff and patrons at this time,” they said.

According to one profile of Arnold in Canadian Theater Encyclopediagrew 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.

LISTEN | Theater journalist Liz Nicholls remembers Julien Arnold:

Edmonton AM8:25Remembering the brilliant career of the actor Julien Arnold

Edmonton’s theater community is in mourning after the death of a beloved local actor. Julien Arnold died during a performance of A Christmas Carol at the Citadel on Sunday night. Liz Nicholls is a longtime theater journalist who knew Julien for decades.

Arnold was a founding member of the Free Will Players, the theater company that produces the Freewill Shakespeare Festival.

David Horak, the festival’s artistic director, said Arnold has been a fixture in Edmonton’s theater scene 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 a person, too,” he said.

Horak also said Arnold had a gift for turning complex and difficult texts into conversation.

“There’s nobody, nobody likes him,” he said.