Half art and half schmaltz, "White Christmas" is Irving Berlin's 1954 Christmas card to post-World War II America. At The 5th Avenue, the art derives from direction by Jamie Rocco and David Armstrong, who create a nostalgic living Christmas/Hanukkah card on stage.

The schmaltz derives from the book – straight out of la-la land – and Irving Berlin's singable, danceable music. The la-la land aspect is part of the fun, fitting into the "it-never-happened-but-we-wish-it-had" category of plots.

Song and dance by a cadre of performers, most of whom are familiar to Village Theatre (Issaquah) and The 5th Avenue audiences, is uniformly excellent. Pace and attention to acting details show Amstrong's keep-it-moving, keep-it-real signature.

Christmas-movie buffs familiar with the 1954 film know the plot. Two World War II ex-GIs, now song-and-dance men, team up with a sister act to save their former general's country inn in Vermont. Vermont has been hit with a postmodern, global-warming problem just when the powdery snow should be falling. Love and the weather end up cooperating. In fact, set designer Anna Louizos has created a Currier and Ives Christmas card on stage, complete with faux snow (which even falls on the audience at curtain call).

Audiences of a certain age will know by heart the "White Christmas" songs that topped the pop charts in the 1950s after the film was released: "Happy Holiday," "Count Your Blessings," "Blue Skies," "How Deep Is the Ocean" and, of course, "White Christmas."

Michael Gruber and Greg McCormick Allen as Bob and Phil, the two singing-dancing GIs, make excellent comic and vocal buddies. Gruber does Bing Crosby (who played the movie role) maybe better than Bing himself, because Gruber is livelier.

The singing sisters Betty (Christina Saffran Ashford) and Judy (Tari Kelly) match their male partners in vocal/acting artistry.

Carol Swarbrick perfects comic timing playing opposite Stephen Godwin's straight-arrow General Waverly. Young Olivia Spokoiny, who alternates with Keaton Whittaker as the general's granddaughter, and Clayton Corzatte as the crusty stage manager Ezekiel, prove there are no small parts.

Choreography by Jamie Rocco is itself worth the price of a ticket, and the orchestra, conducted by James May, adds shine to this already-dazzling production.