Alan Thicke
is in Clermont rehearsing for “Kenny Rogers Presents The Toy Shoppe.”
Alan Thicke is giving a holiday spin to his fatherly image.
Best known as the dad on the 1980s TV sitcom “Growing Pains,” Thicke is in Clermont this week, rehearsing for “Kenny Rogers Presents The Toy Shoppe.” The show plays Saturday at the city’s performing-arts center.
He’s impressed with the new Clermont venue: “It’s quite fabulous. All I need is my coffee maker, and I could live here.”
Thicke, 68, says “The Toy Shoppe” offers a different way for families to enjoy the season.
“We’ve seen the Grinch and Scrooge for so many years. Those are classics that warm our hearts,” Thicke said during a break from rehearsing. “But parents, I think, will be glad for something fresh.”
Written by country star Rogers and Kelly Junkermann, the show has plenty to amaze children, too, Thicke said. “The wonder of it all, and what is so appealing, is that these toys come to life and perform in magical, fantastical ways,” he said.
In Rogers’ story, toymaker Thicke’s shop is threatened by a burger chain that wants to take over his space. But the toymaker has plenty of friends in his creations.
Some of the music, also by Rogers, not surprisingly has “a country flavor,” Thicke said. But other tunes are of the musicaltheater variety. Thicke, who has worked onstage in shows such as “Chicago” and “Mame,” enjoys singing but defers to his popstar son in that arena.
“I don’t call myself a singer in front of my son Robin, like I wouldn’t call myself a hockey player in front of Wayne Gretzky,” he said.
A native of Canada, Thicke is now based in Los Angeles. He and Rogers have had a long relationship; Thicke wrote one of Rogers’ television specials. “We go way back,” Thicke said. “We played a little tennis together.”
His respect for Rogers made joining the show, which kicks off its seasonal tour Friday in Lakeland, a no-brainer: “The fact he wrote it and performed it was good enough for me. I said, ‘Sign me up.’ ”
Thicke is busy with other projects as well. He can be seen on the TV show “Scream Queens,” starting tonight. His reality series, “Unusually Thicke,” returns to the Pop! cable channel in January. He’s also developing a program about celebrities entertaining, which will debut on the Food Network in the new year.
He’s pleased that “Growing Pains” will be part of his legacy.
“I’m happy that people remember it,” Thicke said. “I’m sure it will be on my tombstone, and I’m OK with that.”