GLENS FALLS ---- Gilles Chiasson just followed his own advice.

The Broadway actor played Steve in the original cast of "Rent," Jonathan Larson's critically acclaimed contemporary musical.

During post-show discussions with high schoolers, Chiasson always encouraged the students to write and "find their voice."

"After about a year, I realized I was talking to myself. So, I started writing," he said.

That's when Chiasson began putting together "Chrysalis," a musical that follows Larson's lead of writing modern music and creating complex characters in whom everyday people can recognize themselves.

Five years later, "Chrysalis" makes its world premiere at the Adirondack Theater Festival. The pop-rock musical will be performed at the old Woolworth's store theater July 12 -21.

"Chrysalis," named after the play's main character, is a coming-of-age story about a young artist who comes home for Christmas after failing to make it big in Los Angeles. The tragedy of his family's inability to support him is countered by the play's humor, which comes out as the witty characters push through another dysfunctional holiday.

"I am all for the mixture of lots of laughs and lots of tragedy," said director Beth Schachter, who is making her second appearance as a director at ATF.

Last year, Schachter directed "Five & Dime Plays," five 10-minute plays with some connection to the Woolworth's building.

Chiasson said he wanted to ask the question in his work, "If Jesus Christ came to the planet today, would everybody follow him or would we lock him up?"

Jesus Christ was, after all, a homeless socialist, Chiasson said.

To work through his question, Chiasson created Chrysalis, an eccentric character with a strong point of view and a knack for telling the truth.

All the show's wit, irony and family feuding unravels to a pop-rock score written by Chiasson, a founding member of ATF. Chiasson has always dabbled in songwriting and has made his living performing in Broadway musicals including "Scarlet Pimpernel" and "The Civil War."

For "Chrysalis," he wrote about two-thirds of the musical score for an acoustic guitar and accompanying instruments, giving the show a "real driving rock 'n' roll quality," he said.

The remaining third is for the piano, and all of the songs have a pop structure.

Chiasson painstakingly edited the lyrics, spending many afternoons in his New York City apartment reading the song script aloud, exposing the quality of the text without any music.

"It put a burden on me not to have a lost moment," he said.

The result is songs that move the storyline along naturally and give Chiasson's complex characters depth.

The musical uses very little dialogue ---- a huge challenge for the most accomplished playwright, let alone one just stepping onto the stage.

"The fact that he was able to write the whole thing with music is a feat," said Festival Artistic Director Martha Banta, who chose "Chrysalis" for ATF's musical slot.

What is even more amazing, said Banta, is that Chiasson was able to boil down the grandeur of a musical and bring it into the suburban home of a family of five.

Jim Noone, an award-winning set designer and Glens Falls native, is behind the creation of the home, which is the setting for the entire show. Noone uses a "series of boxes" to show, in physical manifestation, how people can live together and still be very separate, Chiasson said.

ATF Producing Director David Turner said "Chrysalis" will probably be the festival's most involved production to date. ATF has been collaborating with Chiasson since January, working out the play's kinks before its full-stage debut.