Schuck, of ‘Star Trek,’ stars in holiday musical opening Dec. 25

It isn’t that much of a stretch playing a Klingon in “Star Trek” movies and playing a general in an Irving Berlin stage musical, according to Conrad John Schuck.

“In ‘Star Trek I’m a Klingon ambassador,” Schuck recalls. “So what are his attributes? Let’s see, he’s got passion. He’s got a voice. He’s very good with language. And he has anger. And then you go over to General Waverly [his character in the musical]. He’s got passion. He’s got anger. He’s got all those same qualities. He’s just a little bit different, but they are essentially the same.”

Audiences will be able to see for themselves if there’s any shared space between the two when Schuck co-stars in the national tour of “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” which opens in Miami on Christmas Day and runs through Dec. 30.

In the musical based on the 1954 movie — starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen — Schuck’s character is the linchpin for the narrative. In the show set just after World War II, U.S Army soldiers find out that their much-admired former commanding officer General Waverly is having a rough time keeping a vacation lodge going in which he has invested all of his savings. In between romance subplots, the soldiers ban together to help out the general.

Like the movie, the show includes Berlin’s now-standards such as “Happy Holiday,” “Sisters,” “Blue Skies, ” “Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)” and, of course, the title song “White Christmas.”

Schuck also appeared on Broadway in “Annie” with Sarah Jessica Parker, “Annie Get Your Gun” with Reba McEntire and “Nice Work If You Can Get It” with Matthew Broderick. On the big screen Schuck has appeared in Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H,” Woody Allen’s “Curse of the Jade Scorpion” and “Outrageous Fortune” with Bette Midler.

The musical version of “White Christmas” debuted in San Francisco back in 2004. Then the show, in various productions with various casts, toured the United Kingdom from 2006-2011 and made it to Broadway in 2008–2009 after which it started its first U.S. tour.

“This is my fifth season with this show,” Schuck says during a telephone interview. “I had seen it, oh I don’t know, about eight years ago and I thought to myself that the part I’d like to play is the general. Then one day, about five years ago, my agent called and said ‘We’ve gotten a request for you to play the general in ‘White Christmas.’ I almost couldn’t get the words out ‘I’m there.’ It’s been such a positive experience.”

Schuck says he thinks the show has endured because it isn’t as culture-shifting as, say, “Hamilton,” which is playing one county away in Fort Lauderdale.

“You know, the movie that it is based on … has a fairly thin story, but it’s a good story and a moving story,” Schuck explains. “And you add to that the Irving Berlin music and the dancing that’s been [created] by our director and choreographer Randy Skinner, it’s just a glorious night. People come in and forget their troubles and woes for two hours and be transported back in time for a little bit. It’s a feel-good show.”

“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” runs Dec. 25-30 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday; 2 p.m. matinee Saturday; 1 p.m. matinee Sunday. Tickets are $34-$135. To order, call 305-949-6722 or go to ArshtCenter.org.