A STAGE actor collapsed and died on stage in front of a distraught crowd during his performance of A Christmas Carol.
Julien Arnold, 60, unexpectedly died at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Canada, on November 24.
Paramedics arrived on the scene around 8.28pm on Sunday.
They unsuccessfully attempted to resuscitate the actor and he was pronounced dead at the theatre.
The cause of his death has not been revealed.
Julien was playing the characters Marley and and Mr. Fezziwig in the play.
The Citadel Theatre’s executives Jessie van Rijn and Daryl Cloran paid tribute to the actor, according to CBC News.
“His presence brought joy, heart and depth to every role, and his artistic contributions — and big hugs — will be deeply missed,” they said.
They added that Julien was loved by his cast mates and was an appreciated member of Edmonton’s theatre community.
The Punctuate Theatre, where his wife Sheiny Satanov is managing director, shared a heartbreaking tribute to the beloved actor.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the sudden passing of our beloved friend Julien Arnold on the evening of November 24,” the statement said.
“Julien was a cherished member of the Edmonton theatre community whose warmth, talent, and generosity touched so many lives,” the statement added.
“He leaves behind many loved ones including his loving wife, Sheiny Satanove, Punctuate! Theatre’s Managing Director, who now faces the immense challenge of moving forward without him.”
The Canadian actor was known for founding the Shakespeare theatre company Free Will Players,which hosted the Freewill Shakespeare Festival.
The festival’s director, David Horak, praised Julien as a person and as an actor.
“He just had the ability to create characters that had the biggest hearts in the world, and he was like that as well, as a person,” Horak said.
“There’s nobody, nobody quite like him,” he added.
He was raised in Edmonton and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1989.
His decades long acting career saw him perform in iconic plays like Sense and Sensibility, The Wizard of Oz, and Twelfth Night.
The Citadel theatre announced it would modify the remaining dates of the show, which is set to end on December 24.
These changes would allow cast and crew to mourn the beloved actor.
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