Biography
Rita Ryack is an American costume designer. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she earned a BFA from Brandeis University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. She began in the entertainment industry as a cartoon animator at Lisberger Studios in Boston before moving into costume design.
Her first design credit was the 1983 Broadway musical My One and Only, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She has since worked extensively in film and theatre, with notable credits including After Hours (1985), Cape Fear (1991), A Bronx Tale (1993), Apollo 13 (1995), Casino (1995), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Hairspray (2007). She has collaborated frequently with directors Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard.
Ryack received an Academy Award nomination for How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She has also earned Tony Award nominations for Casa Valentina (2014) and an Emmy Award nomination for You Don't Know Jack (2010).
