Oregano Powerhouse Productions
The Oregano Powerhouse is a production company, founded by professional magician Steven Warburton, that specializes in creating educational magic shows for students at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels.

Our business plan is simple: ALWAYS invoice by the day, not be the show.

We know that having a magician in the school is a treat. We also know that different age groups respond to our shows in different ways. We also know that when a presenter comes to a school, it can be a scheduling nightmare for everyone. At the Oregano Powerhouse, we have endeavoured to remove all those obstacles.

As such, we have created a full arsenal of relevant educational magic shows that can be performed in classrooms, learning commons, libraries, or gymasiums. When you bring the Oregano Powerhouse into your school, you can be assured that every student will hear a relevant message at a rate that won't bust your budget.


The Mental Health Awareness Magic Show


The Mental Health Awareness Magic Show is our flagship show and definitely the most popular performance that we offer. The show is designed for students in Grades 3-6 and is ideally suited to a gymnasium, learning commons, auditorium, or any room large enough to accommodate a big group.

The Mental Health Awareness Magic Show uses magic tricks and activities to teach the following:

  • The five building blocks of mental health (Durability, Resilience, Balance, Flexibility, Ability to Enjoy Life.)
  • The importance of showing respect for people with mental illness rather than stigmatizing them.
  • That mental illness is treatable.
“I had the pleasure of seeing Steve Warburton’s Magic Show at one of our elementary schools. His energy was contagious! His messages of Purpose, Hope and Resiliency were delivered exceptionally well in a fun way that our young learners could understand – through magic. The students were engaged and empowered by his presentation. Thanks, Steve!!”
- Michelle Neville, Mental Health Leader
Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
"Steve's magic show highlights important information on the topic of mental health, and he does so in a way that is both age-appropriate and fun. I could see that his audience was highly engaged in his interactive show. It was great to see the children's enthusiasm, knowing that they were gaining insights that would help reduce stigma and raise their awareness."
- Christine Penney, Vice-President of Community Programs
Cornwall Community Addiction and Mental Health Services

The Silly Science Superhero Anti-Bullying Show

This 30-minute show is designed for students in Grades 1 and 2. It is ideally suited to the classroom.

It uses magic, and a superhero motif, to teach kids some simple math, science and art lessons; several students are enlisted to play superhero roles throughout the duration of the show.

When it's over, they are left with a powerful message: You don't need X-ray vision or incredible strength to be a superhero. You can be one right now by being courteous and helpful to everyone you know.



View testimonial here
Perception vs. Reality
This 40-minute show was designed for a classroom or a learning commons. Created specifically for junior high and high school audiences, The Perception vs. Reality show uses magic tricks to demonstrate how our brains process data and how this can be manipulated into making us believe, and do, irrational things.

Students are taught:

- The role emotion plays in the thinking process and how it so often trumps logic.
- How easy it is to use lies and half-truths to get people to accept a totally false view of reality.
- How the mind can be manipulated into making the same mistake over and over again.
- How we're more likely to accept a lie when it makes us feel good (confirmation bias.)
- How the media and advertisers use these very same techniques to manipulate people into buying things, or worldviews, that are unnecessary and/or dangerous.
- How perception is more important than reality (any student who's ever had an untrue rumor spread about them knows this only too well.)

Note: This show used to be called The Magic of Critical Thinking.


Testimonials
The Smoking/Marijuana/Vaping Show
This show, created for students in Grades 3-6, was designed for the school's gymnasium. The show uses magic tricks and activities to talk about the dangers of using nicotine, marijuana, and vaping and encourages students to adopt drug-free lifestyles.

This show used to focus exclusively on tobacco use. Then, when vaping and marijuana began to grow more prevalent, I resurrected and updated the show. The performance is divided into four chapters.

1. The big race. Students are enlisted to portray referees, timers, secretaries, and racers in an attempt to show how drug use will have a negative impact on your fitness level.

2. A trip to the mall. Shows students how much money they would have to spend to sustain a regular drug habit, and what they'd have to give up if they wanted to keep their harmful habits.

3. The French bistro. A no-holds barred display on all the harmful chemicals that go into cigarettes and other products.

4. The game show. It's boys against the girls as contestants evaluate the good reasons to take up drug use (hint: there are none) only to come to the conclusion that the real winners are those who say no to nicotine, marijuana, and vaping.


Testimonials
Contact
FAQ

Q. How much does a day's worth of shows cost?
A. It depends on how far I have to travel. For the most part, I can tell you that an entire day's worth of shows will cost about what a lot of other companies charge for a single show?

Q. What does a typical day's schedule look like?
A. Generally, I like to do the Mental Health Show or the Non-Smoker Show first thing in the morning because those shows are most likely to require the use of the gymasium. I can then spend the rest of the day visiting the different classrooms and performing there. A typical schedule might look like this:
Period 1: Gym - Mental Health Show.
Period 2: Silly Science classroom 1A
Period 3: Silly Science classroom 1B
Period 4: Silly Science classroom 2A
LUNCH
Period 5: Silly Science classroom 2B
Period 6: Perception vs. Reality. Learning commons. Grades 7.
Period 7: Perception vs. Reality. Learning commons. Grades 8.

Q. Do you require a deposit?
A. Yes. I generally ask for 50 per cent upon booking with the balance due on performance day.

Q. Do you bring your own technical equipment?
A. Yes. I have a state-of-the-art cordless microphone and my own PA system.

Q. Do you provide any additional material after the show?
A. Yes. After the Mental Health Awareness Magic Show, I provide questionnaires the students can fill out to track their own mental health. With the Non-Smoker 4 Life Show, I provide pledge forms for the students who want to take the non-smoking promise.


Oregano Powerhouse
shows@oreganopowerhouse.com
613-525-5408