Christian Litten
An Artist Profile
When Christian Litten walks into a room, the temperature changes. The laughter loosens. Nerves settle. Ideas multiply. Again and again, those who know him use the same words: generous, passionate, fearless, kind.
“He has this natural charm that makes every moment around him feel lively and full of possibility,” says his wife, Grace Ivers. “He’s always in motion - curious, playful, and delightfully mischievous - which makes life with him anything but ordinary.”
The special spark took root early in Sitka, where Christian and his twin brother Adam grew up alongside their older sister Randee and half-siblings Jennifer and Brian Hope. Their home was full of music, laughter, and play. “We had a costume box in the basement and put on shows any chance we got,” Randee remembers. “Christian was the star long before he could talk.” Their father, John, recalls the endless wigs, masks and costumes spilling out - and the Ninja Turtle phase that became family lore. “But it’s no longer a box,” his mother, Linda, adds. “Christian and Grace have an entire loft full of costumes now.”
As Christian got older, his stage grew and took shape. “Christian threw himself into music, playing trumpet in jazz band and singing in choir,” John says.
“One evening, Christian and his friends were parked late at Sandy Beach. They were playing music so loud that a teacher living across the street came over to investigate.” The punchline wasn’t the volume, it was the playlist. Glenn Miller at full blast. “He called us to say how impressed he was with their music choice,” John says, still amused.
“He brings professionalism and dedication to everything, stage and boardroom alike. He’s one of those people who makes Sitka’s arts scene what it is.”
After high school, Christian went on to study music at the University of Idaho. “I got a BA in trumpet performance, but also sang in a lot of choirs,” Christian says. “About halfway through, I realized I probably should’ve majored in musical theater.”
Around the same time, a fellow music student caught Christian’s eye. “I was Grace’s TA for aural skills,” he says. “We started dating a couple of years later.” Mom Linda shares, “I’ve always loved Christian’s twinkle when he laughs…and he twinkles a lot since meeting Grace.”
College also brought one of Christian’s most memorable performances: Food Court! The Musical. Written by close friend Justin Horn, the hilarious show was staged in an actual food court. “It was perfect for him: over-the-top, clever, and full of heart,” notes Grace.
Adam remembers it for another reason. “That was the first time Christian and I pulled off an elaborate ‘twin gag’ when he surprise-cast me as his stunt double in the show. It was then we discovered the dramatic power of fooling an entire audience.”
Christian and Grace spent years alternating between Sitka with stints in Idaho, Hawaii, Washington and California. “But we missed our friends and the creative community here,” Christian says. “I was hearing about people doing fun theater things, and wanted to help it grow.”
Grace was on board, too. “She knew moving back to Sitka meant opening a bakery sooner than if we stayed in California.”
“Grace is the brains and brawn
behind the whole operation. I’m just the walking mouth that kinda knows everyone.”
So in May of 2015, they took the plunge, and moved back home for good. By fall he was acting in Radio Adventure Hour, by spring in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and soon after, coaching Sitka High’s Drama, Debate & Forensics (DDF) team.
Ten years later, Sitka’s theater scene has seen Christian’s range: the suave Gomez in The Addams Family; the zany Mrs. Luce and the maniacal Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. in Little Shop of Horrors; the quick-witted Wadsworth in Clue; the romantic dreamer Nino Quincampoix in Amélie; and the wild-hearted Lonny Barnett in Rock of Ages.
“He commits to roles, takes risks, and encourages others to do the same,” says producer Shannon Haugland. “But mostly he knows how to make an entrance and - in many shows - bring down the house.”
One of Shannon’s favorite memories is a recent Broadway Night number, where Christian, wearing a ridiculous mullet wig, Freddie Mercury-style mustache, and muscle shirt, air-guitared his way through “Can’t Fight This Feeling” while the crowd rose to its feet. Shannon recalls, “It was fun, memorable, and likely helped draw record crowds to Rock of Ages.”
Christian also performs with Ramshackle Cabaret and has served on the Raven Radio board - two outlets that showcase the qualities his castmates admire.
“I was intimidated at first, worried my inexperience would be a drag,” says Rock of Ages and Smokefall actor Brandon Saiz. “What Christian offers is the opposite. He gives feedback with warmth and genuine excitement to see you at your best.”
Fellow performer and board member Ashley Eisenbeisz agrees. “He brings professionalism and dedication to everything, stage and boardroom alike. He’s one of those people who makes Sitka’s arts scene what it is.”
That commitment extends to Christian’s work with Sitka High’s DDF team. “He helped me learn to be proud of what I do,” says former DDF student Sagan McLaughlin. “Even when I stumbled, he taught me to laugh at my mistakes and keep going.”
Another alum, Darby Osborne, remembers his patience and dedication, especially during the pandemic. “He spent countless hours making sure everyone had working cameras and audio for online tournaments,” she says. “He put in the time because he wanted us to succeed.”
“He’s always in motion - curious, playful, and delightfully mischievous - which makes life with him anything but ordinary.”
Christian’s creativity spills into nearly every corner of Sitka. He’s been known to spontaneously show up in full costume - like King George III from Hamilton at the No-Kings Rally, serenading the crowd with “You’ll Be Back.”
At Ramshackle Cabaret’s annual Stardust Halloween Ball, his outfits are the stuff of legend, drawn from his love of transformation.
And at WildFlour Café & Bakery, the business he and Grace opened in 2021, he brings the same energy behind the counter that he does onstage. “Grace is the brains and brawn behind the whole operation,” he jokes, “I’m just the walking mouth that kinda knows everyone.”
Talk to anyone who knows him, and you’ll hear a familiar theme: Christian has a way of bringing out the best in people. Whether he’s coaching teenagers through a monologue, trading lines under stage lights, or handing a customer their morning coffee, he leads with the same combination of humor, heart, and sincerity.
In a town fueled by creativity, Christian Litten has become one of its brightest sources - proof that the right kind of energy doesn’t just light up a room, it lifts everyone in it.
More Articles From This Issue
Sitka Is…
A Perennial Garden of Artistic Expression
In Sitka, “bloom where you’re planted” takes on a life of its own. While some may view the long, dark winter as a time to hibernate, Sitkans know better. Winter is when creative energy begins to stir. Beneath the rain and overcast skies, the community becomes a fertile ground for imagination, collaboration, and artistic risk-taking.
Belly Meat
200 Years of Making Music
At the center of Sitka’s vibrant music scene, three men carry a sound as local as the tide and as timeless as a good story. Belly Meat, the trio of Ted Howard, Ernie Eggleston, and Gary Gouker, has been playing together for about 15 years. They blend blues, rock and roll, and folk with Southeast Alaska humor to make a uniquely homegrown sound.
The Art of the Unexpected
Zeke & Cassidy Present Two Nights of Improv
“Just so you know – this is insane, what I’m about to tell you,” warns Cassidy Russell, long-time improv and sketch comedy teacher at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, recounting an absurd and memorable performance at camp this summer.
Art in Your Backyard
The Watchman Kootéeyaas – Part II
In the summer 2025 issue of the Sitka Arts Guide, we introduced the story of two remarkable totem poles taking shape right here in Sitka – The Watchman Kootéeyaas. Featured under the “Art in Your Backyard” banner, these poles were actually born in our neighbors’ backyard.