USC Names Drama School Building After Dick Wolf

Greg Evans
·2-min read

USC said Thursday that it will name its newly renovated School of Dramatic Arts building the Dick Wolf Drama Center after the Emmy-winning creator of the Law & Order TV franchise, who the university says has supported the endeavor with a “significant contribution.”

In a statement, Wolf said, “Education has always been a priority for me and for Wolf Entertainment. It is my privilege to be associated with USC and this state-of-the-art facility. At Wolf Entertainment we will have our eye on the next generation of talent to emerge from the School of Dramatic Arts.”

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The newly named Dick Wolf Drama Center opened in February 2024 as a reimagining of the former United University Church, a historic building on campus. According to USC, “a point was made to retain the 1930s-style architecture — complete with stone engravings, spiral columns and stained-glass windows — but the interior was completely redone for the modern age.”

With the remodeling, students have access to a professional development center where they can record auditions and collaborate with peers. The building also has an integrated media lab, recording studios and dressing rooms. Along with those improvements, the building also features two new theaters: the Sanctuary Theatre and the Stop Gap Theatre — the latter named after a former streetcar station at the south edge of campus that was converted into one of the department’s first theater spaces in 1948.

USC president Carol Folt said. “I am so honored that Dick’s name will grace this perfect and appropriate home for our world-renowned, conservatory-level artistic hub in the heart of our campus. Since its founding, USC has produced award-winning artists and creatives who help us make sense of our ever-changing world. Our students and faculty will continue to be inspired in our new Dick Wolf Drama Center every day.”

Emily Roxworthy, dean of the School of Dramatic Arts, said, “We are thrilled and grateful that Dick has made a commitment to our students here at USC. Our state-of-the-art facility, with its unique services like a dedicated professional development center and Sparks Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, serves as a bridge to Hollywood and a support system for young artists as they navigate their way into ever-evolving creative industries.”

Roxworthy added, “Dick’s career has enabled so many stage and screen actors to launch and sustain their own careers through game-changing roles in his shows, and we are exceptionally proud to continue this work with his support.”

In addition to serving as creator and executive producer of all the Law & Order-branded series, Wolf has extended his branding to other series including Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, FBI, FBI Most Wanted, FBI International and the new Amazon Prime series On Call. Wolf’s company also produced the Oscar-winning documentary Twin Towers.

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