Darbi Scaglione (pronounced Skal-yo-nee) remembers herself as a precocious child who danced to the beat of her own drum and whose creativity knew no bounds. She could often be found “expressing herself” at her Tuesday night dance class or journaling for hours on her bed, dreaming up worlds and putting those thoughts on paper.
“Even when I was 11, when I would sit and think about all I wanted to be when I grew up, it was always an author and illustrator,” Scaglione recalled.
Her horizons stretched well beyond writing and art. She learned multiple instruments, continuing into her 30s when she took up the saxophone and performed with a swing band. At 12, she bought her first cake decorating set with allowance money. Later, she earned a degree in broadcast design from Oral Roberts University in 1987, and also spent several years in catering.
Oral Roberts was also where she met her husband, Greg. The two married the summer after graduation and soon settled in Omaha after Greg entered Creighton’s School of Law. They quickly fell in love with the city, which felt like home. Thirty-eight years later, they are still in Omaha, after raising three children and building a life together.
The spark
It was during those early family years that Scaglione first felt the spark of inspiration. One Christmas Eve, her daughter shared a song in sign language she had learned for a hearing-impaired classmate: “Silent Night.” What began as a simple family performance grew into an annual Christmas tradition, with the children and adults sharing songs, skits and stories. The funnier the better!
“I thought, ‘the world needs to see this,’ so I started writing a stage play,” Scaglione said. “It’s like those thoughts you have to do something good, and it doesn’t go away. Even though you know it’s going to be hard, you do it anyway.”
The play began in 2015 and was first performed in 2018 at their local church, Lifegate. Fueled by that success, Scaglione began adapting the play for the screen, despite having no formal training.
“I watched over 300 videos on filmmaking. I read probably a dozen books, took a few online workshops, and really dug in because I wanted to give 110%,” she said.
From paper to life
That script would go through about 27 revisions over two and a half years. Most of them were written during her regular after-lunch writing hours.
“I probably wrote four days a week,” she said. “I would give the script to anybody who would read it. And when three or four people tell you something needs to change, you really need to change it.”
In 2021, Scaglione was introduced to the film’s producer, Shun Lee Fong. An Omaha native she had known years earlier, Fong had gone on to Hollywood, founding an artist collective called The Greenhouse. He was impressed with her grit and storytelling and connected her with Vicki Edwards, who helped refine the script. Together, they went through three more drafts before it was ready for filming. That’s 30 revisions, still nothing had deterred Scaglione.
What began as a homegrown church play had now become a full-fledged independent film, set to premiere in Omaha.
From stage to screen
All Is Merry & Bright is an uplifting holiday film directed by Cory Edwards that blends humor and heart into a story of resilience and rediscovered joy during the Christmas season. Inspired by Scaglione’s own health challenges, the film carries an authenticity that sets it apart from typical holiday fare.
The story follows Jessica Tannen, played by Emily Rose, a former dancer whose teenage accident left her with a permanent injury. Armed with her blinged-out walking cane, Jessica is a determined mom and caterer who channels her energy into the family’s annual talent show, filled with skits, songs from every genre and plenty of laughter. Sound familiar?
“It’s funny the way Jessica’s struggles play out,” Scaglione said. “She’s supposed to be taking care of herself, but instead she’s sneaking treats in the pantry. I relate to that.”
The cast features Sally Struthers and John O’Hurley as not-so-helpful grandparents, Eric Close as the ever supportive husband, and memorable turns from Nancy Stafford and Doug Jones. Add in a mischievous rescue puppy named Oscar, played by Pickles, and holiday pandemonium abounds. It is a must-see.
Coming home
Scaglione is thrilled the film is premiering in her hometown, noting that many Omaha landmarks are featured.
“You’ll see a ton of places you’ll recognize from the area,” she said. “And there are probably 200 Omaha background actors, so you might even spot someone you know, including my husband and me. I think we were shoppers No. 5 and 6,” she added with a laugh.
The film All Is Merry & Bright is both a testament to the resilience of a woman determined to leave a legacy and to the source of that dream itself.
As Scaglione reflected, “God is the dream giver, and he makes us all good at something. That’s one thing I love about filmmaking. It wasn’t something I could do myself, but a dream that came to life because 300 other talented people believed in it too.”
Premiering Nov. 5, 2025, in Omaha, All Is Merry & Bright is a heartfelt reminder that even when chaos reigns, true Christmas magic is found in vulnerability, connection and the relationships that make our lives rich and meaningful.
Tickets are available now at www.merryandbright.movie and will be shown at the B&B Theatre at Oakview Mall and ACX Cinema in Elkhorn.
God is the dream giver, and he makes us all good at something. Filmmaking wasn’t something I could do myself, but a dream that came to life because 300 other talented people believed.
“It’s like those thoughts you have to do something good, and it doesn’t go away. Even though it’s hard, you do it.”