Taylor Williamson will perform in Timmins on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Jordan Horrobin – The Daily Press
The Timmins Rock Junior ‘A’ hockey club embarked on their latest fundraising venture this week, with tickets now on sale for a comedy show featuring a comic who rose to fame on a popular network TV program.
Taylor Williamson, who finished runner-up on America’s Got Talent in 2013, will entertain a crowd at École secondaire catholique Thériault’s auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show, with Michelle Shaughnessy, a Toronto-based comedian, serving as Williamson’s opening act.
Other accolades for Williamson include being named a Top 5 act of all time during an America’s Got Talent 10-year anniversary special, reaching the semi-finals on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2010 and performing at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.
Most importantly, he’s a recognizable figure for comedy fans in Timmins.
“We wanted to include a broad audience and the younger generation has a big following for America’s Got Talent,” Timmins Rock president Ted Gooch said. “With it being on TV right now, it was certainly a topic that we wanted to explore.”
Williamson is the latest comedic headliner in the Rock’s effort to broaden its reach with fundraising events. Gerry Dee came to Timmins for a stand-up performance in November 2017, which was followed by an improv night with Colin Mochrie (from Whose Line Is It Anyway) and his wife Debra McGrath this past March.
The Rock has found plenty of success hosting dinners and golf tournaments with former NHLers (including a golf tournament next weekend, which recently sold out), but team executives have also made a concerted effort to try events that don’t include a sports component.
“We’re in a unique situation where we have a lot of supporters of the team that will really support any fundraiser we do, regardless of the theme or category,” Gooch said. “But we want to try to bring unique and different things to Timmins.”
Tickets for the show start at $40 and are available on the Timmins Rock website. There is also a VIP meet-and-greet option for sale.
The event is for all ages, but Gooch noted that Williamson “is not a comic that’s too concerned about being politically correct,” so he suggested a 16-and-up crowd would be most fitting.
Proceeds from the comedy night – as with other Rock fundraisers – will go toward the team’s general operation account, which is no laughing matter.
“We have an operating budget north of $300,000,” Gooch said. “It’s not cheap to run a club of Junior ‘A’ calibre here, so every dollar that we can put back in the club is certainly a win for us.”
