Directed by James Burrows: Five Decades of Stories from the Legendary Director of Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and More

by James Burrows

A resident director is optimal for a show, to provide continuity and represent the producers to the cast and the cast to the producers in constructive, nonabrasive ways. It was my job on Taxi, as well as all the other shows I’ve worked on, to make the actors “director-proof”: able to function on their own and come up with their individual identities. My general practice is to help develop the characters and translate them from the page to the stage. I see the complete picture when I see it “on its feet.” It takes on a different life during rehearsal. I get an indication of not only how the writing is working but how the actors work with the material and whether the ensemble is working together. Then I can find pieces of business, physical bits, and different ways of doing things.