Broadway Vet Jesse L. Martin to Star in ABC Pilot Hallelujah

Broadway regular Jesse L. Martin will star in the upcoming ABC pilot Hallelujah, according to Deadline.com. The drama, which will feature musical elements, is the latest project from Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry.

Hallelujah is set in Hallelujah, TN, a town being torn apart by the forces of good and evil. Martin will play a charming drifter who crosses paths with a stranger who comes to town, bringing justice, peace and possibly restoring faith. No other casting for the pilot has been announced.

Musical elements are a natural fit for Martin, who created the role of Tom Collins in the original cast of Rent and was most recently seen on Broadway in The Merchant of Venice, opposite Al Pacino. He spent nine seasons playing Detective Ed Green on TV hit Law & Order, and is currently shooting the feature film Joyful Noise opposite Queen Latifah.