Students from two schools join onstage in rare collaboration

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In a rare collaboration, two Houston area high schools are working together, on a joint production of "Memphis, the Musical." It took two high schools from opposite sides of Houston and from different backgrounds to bring this powerful storyline alive on stage.

Half of the cast is from Carver Magnet High School in Acres Homes, which is predominantly African American and Hispanic. The other half is from Memorial High School, with a mostly white student body. The groups were working together all summer long for this one of a kind production.

"It's got a great story," said director Nicole Morgan. "We can tie it into history, we can tie it into the kids and the diversity that both of our schools have."

"Memphis, the Musical" tackles some tough history lessons of racial injustice in 1950's America. It's a fictional story of a white DJ who meets an up and coming African American singer in Memphis. He falls madly in love with her, beginning a risky relationship, but a segregated society isn't accepting of their relationship.

You'll be able to see the show starting this Friday, at Memorial High School.