Lippa then went on to write the book, music, and lyrics for "The Wild Party". He began work in 1996, and the Manhattan Theatre Club presented a reading of the first act later that year. Julia Murney, who later played the lead role of Queenie, was in the ensemble of that reading. "The Wild Party" had a two-week development at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut in the summer of 1997. Following that period, producers Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum optioned the play and, with the Manhattan Theater Club, made plans for production. "The Wild Party" was given its world premiere in 2000 at the Off-Broadway Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City. "The Wild Party" won the Outer Critics Circle Award for best Off-Broadway musical of the season, and Lippa won the 2000 Drama Desk Award for best music. The show was nominated for 13 Drama Desk Awards — the most of any show that year — including best new musical.