::The short, hooded man stalks the backstage area, tottering from hiding spot to hiding spot::

Nimnul: Those vermin will be everywhere, all watching over that award. I know I can count on that, so I’ll need some way to get it away from them. I know just the thing to do!

::Nimnul takes a bunch of folded blueprints from the inner pocket of his cloak::

Nimnul: All these awards have gold in them, and I’ll bet that Lifetime Achievement one has a heap of it! I’ll build the Aurum Attractum 5000 Gold Magnet, guaranteed to attract gold and nothing else wherever it’s pointed! Get your orders in, in time for next Christmas!

::Nimnul laughs at his little joke to nobody in particular, then returns to his ranting::

Nimnul: With it, I can zap the award to my hands from across the theatre and make my escape before those pesky rodents can make a move to stop me! <I>It’s ingenious! It’s foolproof! It’s prefect! It’s...</I>

::The professor takes a moment to calm down::

Nimnul: …unbuilt, as yet. Ah, petty details...all this junk backstage ought to be of use—this junk, those lights, cameras, and sound equipment should make fine raw materials...

::And he begins to scavenge parts together to further his scheme. Meanwhile, high above the stage, the mysterious cloaked figure begins to get hold of himself::

Euripides: Don't you feel on top of the world?

Voltaire: Remember what I said about pride and a fall?

Sewernose: I wish you wouldn't say things like that!

::Voltaire crosses his arms::

Voltaire: Oh, great...first a fear of modern plumbing, now he's going to add vertigo to his list of problems.

Sewernose: I had no problem with Mr. Hitchcock's script! I just couldn't convince him I was scared!

Euripides: The show must go on! There is certainly a way down.

Voltaire: Gravity comes to mind...

::Sewernose draws back from the catwalk and the dizzying heights::

Sewernose: Gaah! (yelp!) That would hurt more than the rhythm of the script.

Euripides: Yes, could we have some more constructive criticism?

Voltaire: Well, there is the curtain rigging above us, if he could climb up...

Euripides: See? There we go!

::Sewernose grabs the curtain and begins to climb::

Sewernose: Ah, it's still not too late for my comeback!

Voltaire: Just make sure it's not a fallback...

::And the cloaked one chuckles, content with a secret thought::

<hr>

::Dale is having a great time flirting with one of the servers, a ravishing looking female squirrel dressed in a French maid's outfit that was very flattering to her killer figure. She is serving fresh pizza toast::

Dale: and then, when all the others were free, I got into the tank and chased the bad guys all around!

::The red-nosed chipmunk grins his most charming grin::

Server: Wow, that's really impressive, but wasn't the tank designed for humans?

::The server studies Dale with big, impossibly green eyes::

Dale: Well, yes, I suppose it was.

Server: Then why was the control helmet just the right size for you?

::Dale frowns. That was a good question::

Dale: Huh, I never thought about that.

::He puts on his big, yellow top hat (the one he’s hidden from Chip for the entire evening)::

Dale: I suppose.

::Dale was unable to finish his thought as he is ambushed from behind by a blazing mass of hormones::

Dale (panicky): Tammy! What are you. Urk!

::Dale urks as the squirrel gives him a mighty smooch under her mistletoe, and like a number of fortunate victims before, drops him like a sack of rotten potatoes as she darts out of sight, leaving Dale dazed, and off balance::

Server: Look out!

::The chipmunk stumbles back, windmilling his arms in an effort stay upright, and knocks her tray of fresh, steaming pizza toast flying::