'Memphis,' 'Beautiful' lead Olivier Awards race.

• Position: Living

LONDON -- Two Broadway imports, "Memphis: The Musical'' and the Carole King show "Beautiful,'' lead the race for British theater's Olivier Awards, with a clutch of nominations each, including best new musical.

"Memphis,'' set in the segregated 1950s American South, received nine nominations Monday, including best actress in a musical for soul-singer star Beverley Knight. "Beautiful'' had eight, with Katie Brayben a contender for her performance as chart-topping songwriter King.

The other nominees for best new musical are "Sunny Afternoon,'' the story of The Kinks, and Imelda Marcos-inspired "Here Lies Love,'' created by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim.

Best-actress nominees are Gillian Anderson for "A Streetcar Named Desire,'' Kristin Scott Thomas for "Electra,'' Imelda Staunton for "Good People'' and Penelope Wilton for "Taken...