USC Names Drama School Building After Dick Wolf

deadline.com:

USC has announced that it will name its newly renovated School of Dramatic Arts building the the Dick Wolf Drama Center after the Emmy-winning creator of the Law & Order TV franchise who has made what the university says 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.” 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.