September 14-18, 2026  

Monday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. | Metcalf Theatre
Knight Knight – Created and performed by Madeleine Rowe
A wildly playful clown tale of courage, duty, grief, brotherhood, and—most importantly—horses, set in a medieval world you thought you knew.

Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. | Metcalf Theatre
Orbital Outpost: Saint Louis Alternative Dance
Featuring choreography by Warren Bridges, Kyla Kikkawa, Melissa Miller, and Jane Tellini, this evening of contemporary performance explores Hip Hop, Krump, Butoh, Dance Theatre, and new approaches to movement.

Thursday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m. | Metcalf Theatre
Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame – Written and performed by SIUE Theater and Dance alum Ernie Silva
An acclaimed one-man show blending Hip Hop Theatre, storytelling, humor, music, and poetry. Heavy has been presented in Los Angeles, New York, Scotland, London, Manchester, and Amsterdam.

Friday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. | Dunham Hall Theater
An Evening with Leggy Bones! – Presented by Leggy Bones Physical Theatre Company
Former Pilobolus performers Casey Howes and Jacob Warren bring their unique combination of acrobatic partnering, physical theatre, and visual storytelling to SIUE, joined by physical performer Nathaniel Buchsbaum.

SIUE Xfest is a five-day festival of alternative theatre and dance that introduces the campus to a dizzying array of performing artists.    Each September, the festival presents ensembles of national and international renown, as well as featuring the works of regional emerging artists.   All participating Xfest artists offer master classes and workshops to departmental majors as part of a full-week, immersive learning event. We are thrilled to have hosted artists and ensembles from New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta, Boston, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Chicago.  One of the only university festivals of its kind, Xfest marks SIUE as a destination for experimental, alternative, and avant-garde performing artists from around the US.

"By exposing our students to unique styles of theatre and dance, we encourage them to gain a better understanding of the discipline and to be inspired to create their own works.  We believe that it is important to share the creation of new works and to gain exposure to experimental theatre, and Xfest plays a vital part in this learning-sharing process."

Chuck Harper, Xfest Artistic Director
 

2022
Leggy Bones (NYC), The Coldharts (Minneapolis), Stephany Berry (LA)

2023
Leggy Bones (NYC), Equally Represented Arts (St. Louis), Maria Mukuka (NYC), Ernie Silva (LA)

2024
Ten Directions (Kansas City), Rotimi Agbabiaka (San Francisco), Joy Davis (Boston), Alex Davis (NYC), The Davis Sisters

2025
John Michael Colgin (Chicago), Snack Break Movement Arts- Josh and Emily Culbreath (Philadelphia), Amica Hunter (Washington), Comedy Dance Chicago (Chicago)