There are certain things that belong to the South, such as comfort food, vernacular with a twang and a strong sense of family.

Dallas Theater Center’s “Dividing the Estate” paints a droll portrait of a somewhat archetypal Southern family. The monumental columns and the living room on the added thrust stage of John Arnone’s set immediately provide the perfect setting for the play.

This is the story of the Gordon family in the 1980’s, who are watching their wealth deteriorate due to a struggling farm and a decline in the value of oil. Grandma Stella (June Squibb) is doing her best to keep both the estate and her family intact, as her children and grandchildren bicker about finances.

The family contains a recognizable trio of siblings from the loyal, widowed daughter Lucille (Gail Cronauer) who has returned to live with her mother, to her greedy, frivolous sister Mary Jo (Nance Williamson) who only comes home to ask for money.

Then, of course, there is the deadbeat son Lewis (Kurt Rhoads) ­—an alcoholic who is always in trouble.

This all-too-familiar dynamic is heightened under the play’s circumstances which include: the beloved servant Doug’s (Akin Babatunde) fading health, Lewis’ current encounter with the law and the stalwart grandson, Son (Matthew Gray), bringing home his fiancée Pauline (Lynn Blackburn) to meet his family.

There is a remarkable sincerity in the performance of each of these characters. Squibb gives a heartwarming performance as the family matriarch, who has earned her right to say whatever she pleases about whomever she pleases.

She is matched by an uproarious performance by Babatunde in the role of the elderly Doug, with whom she has an amicable friendship.

Director Joel Ferrell creates a balance with Cronauer, Williamson and Rhoads that allows their differences to provoke laughter, even when their words are caustic.

This play speaks to a Southern audience in a language all its own, and the only characters that seem to fulfill stereotypes are the young granddaughters Emily and Sissie, played by SMU students Emily Habeck and Kristin Frantz, respectively.

Although Habeck makes interesting choices on stage that allow a somewhat mundane role to remain involved in the action, Frantz is boring and bratty. This is not aided by Claudia Stephens’ costumes that serve only to make the young actors look even younger.

The play spirals into its climax as the family realizes their financial ruin.

Then, Lewis brings home his girlfriend Irene Ratliff, in a charming performance from SMU student Katherine Bourne, who works at the local Whataburger sending Mary Jo into a dither as she believes a part-time job will be her eventual downfall.

This is one of the livelier Horton Foote plays in the DFW festival and graces the Wyly stage with a story that is sure to entertain a Texas audience.

“Dividing the Estate” runs through April 9. For more information, visit dallastheatercenter.org.