Rick Garman was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and received his theater training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. His first play 17 Days, debuted at The Colony in 1993 to critical acclaim and garnered him a Drama-Logue Award for Outstanding Achievement in Writing. His play Mountains, which was also produced at The Colony, won the coveted Robbie Award for Best New Play of the Season.

Other writing credits include articles for the LA Reader and New York Newsday, film review for Salem Press and Frommer's Las Vegas '98 (see below) and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Las Vegas.