Dionne Warwick and the Shirelles Sue Over Musical

Veteran singer Dionne Warwick is among a group of stars taking legal action against the producers of new musical "Baby It's You!" over allegations she is featured as a character without permission.

The stage show, which opened on Broadway on Wednesday night (27Apr11), tells the story of Florence Greenberg, the New Jersey housewife who discovered 1960s pop group The Shirelles and set up her own label, Scepter Records.

Warwick, who was later signed to the label, is featured in the show along with another of the label's signings, singer Chuck Jackson. Both Warwick and Jackson are now suing over the musical, along with surviving Shirelles star Beverly Lee, and the estates of her late bandmates Doris Coley and Addie Harris.

Papers were filed at New York's Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday (26Apr11), naming producers Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Broadway Baby Llc as defendants.

The lawsuit accuses theatre bosses of "cashing in on plaintiffs' stories and successes, while using plaintiffs' names, likenesses and biographical information without their consent and in violation of the law."