Netflix is ​​suing the songwriting team behind The Unofficial Bridgerton Musicalwhich is based on the streamer’s hit series Bridgertonfor counterfeit.

Deadline reports that the streaming giant has filed a lawsuit against Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear in federal court in Washington DC, just days after the couple sold the Kennedy Center for the viewing of Bridgerton’s Unofficial Musical Album in Concert.

“Defendants Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear and their companies (Barlow & Bear) took valuable intellectual property from the Netflix original series Bridgerton to build an international brand,” the lawsuit said. “Bridgerton reflects the creative work and hard-earned success of hundreds of artists and Netflix employees. Netflix owns the exclusive right to create songs, musicals, or any other derivative works based on Bridgerton. Barlow & Bear cannot appropriate this right, made valuable by the hard work of others, without permission. Yet that is exactly what they did.

Netflix first backed the musical when it debuted online for free, before suing Barlow and Bear after the duo staged what Netflix says was a ‘for-profit’ performance by Bridgerton’s Unofficial Musical Album in Concertwith tickets selling for up to $149 each.

“Netflix supports fan-generated content, but Barlow & Bear have gone further, seeking to create multiple revenue streams for themselves without formal permission to use the Bridgerton IP. We have endeavored to work with Barlow & Bear, and they have refused to cooperate. The creators, cast, writers and crew have invested their hearts and souls in Bridgerton, and we are taking action to protect their rights,” a spokesperson said. from Netflix in an official press release.