Social Darwinism

FIELD SCIENTIST – a male scientist studying different classes of pri­mates; a cross between Jane Goodall and Mutual of Omaha
ALPHA MALE (JASON) – the strongest and oldest male; rules by fear, money, or stature; often cheats on his wife with the OUTSIDEFEMALE.
ALPHA FEMALE (ELIZABETH) – the oldest and strongest female
SECOND BANANA (CHARLIE) – the homosexual step­brother of the ALPHA MALE, who is always striving to move up
SUBORDINATE FEMALE (KATE) – the most headstrong and outspoken of the women
ADOLESCENT MALE (ISAAC) – an awkward teenager who has few social skills; often spurned by ALPHA MALE
ADOLESCENT FEMALE (JESSIE) – a cheerleader-­type of adolescent; is not very bright but is her father’s favorite
OUTSIDE MALE (AUSTIN) – the sometime ­lover of SECOND BANANA; an ethnicity other than Caucasian
OUTSIDE FEMALE (MARY) – the other woman; is an ethnicity other than Caucasian
JANE – Female assistant to the FIELD SCIENTIST who does the Field Sci­entist’s grunt work and the tagging of the animals; interacts with the subjects throughout the play, and is always on stage

The FIELD SCIENTIST and JANE can be any ethnicity or age; the OUTSIDE MALE and OUTSIDE FEMALE can be an ethnicity other than the family unit. The rest of the characters are written to be Caucasian, but it might make just as powerful a statement if the core family unit were played by a ethnicity other than Caucasian. Additionally, the ages of the Alpha's could be as young as their 30s or as late as their 60s. The subordinates and adolescents should scale down to be age appropriate.