I Can Be Normal

Written by Curry Barker for the contemporary drama film Obsession, this two-minute duologue captures an emotionally volatile confrontation between two young partners. Following a disturbing public incident, Nicky desperately pleads for connection while Bear attempts to establish necessary personal boundaries. As their communication breaks down, the interaction uncovers deep anxieties surrounding obsession, emotional performance, and authenticity.

Nicky is intensely vulnerable and driven by an overwhelming fear of abandonment, oscillating rapidly between detached compliance and desperate pleading. This state of crisis forces Nicky to treat identity as something malleable that can be performed to appease a partner. Bear experiences a conflicting mixture of guilt, fear, and exhaustion, wanting to support a companion while feeling increasingly unsafe and overwhelmed by the volatile dynamic.

This piece provides actors with high-stakes material that demands immediate emotional truth without tipping into melodrama. Both roles require sharp listening and active reacting, giving auditioning performers the chance to showcase restraint, vulnerability, and sudden shifts in psychological state. Casting directors can clearly see an actor's ability to navigate complex, boundary-testing relationship dynamics under pressure.

Tailored for actors playing ages eighteen to twenty-five, this duologue can be performed by actors of any gender representing casting types such as Leading Lady, Leading Man, Intense, Vulnerable, or Outsider. Its compact duration and high narrative urgency make it an exceptional choice for self-tape submissions, agent showcases, and advanced rehearsal practice.

Focus on the specific objective driving each shift in tactic rather than playing generalized panic or frustration. The actor portraying Nicky should fully lean into the unsettling contrast between mechanical cheerfulness and crushing grief, ensuring the physical needs remain grounded. The actor playing Bear must highlight the underlying care behind the shock, allowing the exhaustion and confusion of setting boundaries to fuel the tension.