Director crosses ground close to stage (8)
I believe the answer is:
scorsese
'director' is the definition.
(Martin Scorsese director)
'crosses ground close to stage' is the wordplay.
'ground' is an anagram indicator ('grind' the letters into a new form).
'close to' suggests the final letters (the close/ending of).
The final letter of 'stage' is 'e'.
'crosses' with letters rearranged gives 'scorses'.
'scorses'+'e'='SCORSESE'
(Other definitions for scorsese that I've seen before include "Martin ___, director of Goodfellas and Raging Bull" , "Martin . . . . . . . ., film-maker" , "Hit (by an idea)" , "Martin -, US film director (Taxi Driver)" .)