When a new musical’s launch makes as big an impression as “Hamilton,” producers don’t exactly need to partner with outside brands, publications or platforms to attract attention. “For many, many years we actively did not seek partnerships,” said Maggie Brohn, executive producer of the Tony Award-winning musical.” “And when [the show] was the hottest thing ever, we turned them down because we were just focused on: the show is the show.” Yet during the week of Aug. 7, “Hamilton” launched two partnerships: one with the pickleball brand Nettie — issuing a line of “Hamilton” pickleball paddles — and another with the gaming company Super League — releasing the digital Roblox game “Hamilton Simulator.”
The timing, Brohn said, is completely coincidental — and “Hamilton” is not actively seeking partnerships. But what these two collaborations reveal is the property’s unique relationship to its audience and the production team’s effort to play the long game.
