On Sept. 13, the New York Giants’ season opener will feature a medley of “Hamilton” hits — specially arranged by Alex Lacamoire and Don P. Roberts. Complete with vocal performances by former “Hamilton” cast members Nicholas Christopher, Mandy Gonzalez, Morgan Anita Wood and Candace Quarrels, the routine will feature a marching band collaboration with Morgan State University’s Magnificent Marching Machine, Penn State’s Blue Band and drum soloist Jaheim Lee. Though Broadway stars regularly deliver national anthems at sporting events around the country — and actors from the West End cast of “Hamilton” took the mic at last year’s NFL Games in London — this performance will be the first time a single Broadway musical has ever headlined an NFL halftime show.
The appearance was organized as a partnership between “Hamilton” and the Giants. In a short time, partnerships have gone from an afterthought to an integral part of the Broadway business — as essential to a production’s advertising and marketing strategy as a New York Times ad, a Lincoln Tunnel billboard or a musical number performed on a morning news show. Advertising and marketing firms now have a specific point person — or entire team — dedicated to procuring and creating these relationships with brands.
The medley at the Giants game feels as organic as these collaborations can. It’s not only a meeting of two New York City institutions, as was last year’s New York Yankees game in honor of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical’s 10th anniversary. But it’s also rooted in last year’s viral clip of Giants quarterback Jameis Winston singing a popular lyric (“the greatest city in the world”) during a press conference. Whitney Britt — founder of the performing arts consultancy company Two Dog Circus, which specializes in partnerships and events and handles partnerships for “Hamilton” — finalized this one with the Giants and isn’t throwing away her shot at future sports deals.
Ruthie Fierberg
“Sports has such a large reach — it’s insane to not try to do as much as we can with them,” said Britt, who also arranged viral Gotham FC collaborations with “Titaníque” and “Chicago.” “People who spend more than $100 on a Broadway ticket and people who spend money at New York City sporting events [go through] the same motions. They both go to dinner, buy merch, buy drinks and get a babysitter. There’s so much more crossover in those audiences than people realize.”
