‘It doesn’t feel real’: Longtime Edmonton actor dies during performance at Citadel Theatre

The loss of a longtime and beloved Edmonton actor has rattled the city’s theatre community.

Julien Arnold passed away during Sunday’s performance of the holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” at the Citadel Theatre.

“We’re all just in the state of … it doesn’t feel real,” said Courtney Schroter, who previously worked with Arnold.

“He held the spirit of the ‘Christmas Carol’ truly in his soul, like he was the ‘Christmas Carol,’ and this city is going to miss him in it.”

In a statement announcing Arnold’s death, the Citadel Theatre called him a cherished member of the Edmonton theatre community, whose presence “brought joy, heart and depth to every role.” The theatre company asked for privacy as they turn their attention to supporting family members, the “Christmas Carol” company, staff and patrons.

Citadel also thanked its front-of-house team, medical professionals from the audience and EMS for acting swiftly.

Schroter called Arnold so much more than an actor.

“He was my tutor in a sense,” she said. “He would stop by and he would give us pointers on what was happening and he would just say ‘Have you figured out this point yet?’ And he would just share his love.”

Arnold had been in the theatre industry for decades and was one of the early founding members of the Free Will Shakespeare Festival, whose artistic director says Arnold helped shape the direction of the theatre company.

“Taking these old stuffy plays and making them relatable, making them reach a fresh new audience, he was so great at that in his works,” said David Horak.

Oscar Derkx, a member of the ‘A Christmas Carol’ cast, says he saw first-hand what happened to the veteran actor.

“I thought initially that he was just lightheaded and that he needed to sit down and take a break,” Derkx said. “And then when I saw him getting medical attention, I realized something more serious was happening and I just started sort of praying in my own way.”

The Citadel Theatre notes there will be minor scheduling changes for the play, and that box office staff will contact ticket holders with changes to performance dates. It is dedicating the rest of this season’s run of “A Christmas Carol” to Arnold’s memory.

“We’ll move forward with love in our hearts for him and we’ll figure out as a company how to honour his memory best,” Derkx said.

A GoFundMe campaign to support Arnold’s family had raised more than $47,000 by Tuesday evening.

–With files from The Canadian Press