Gillian Anderson, Nicole Scherzinger and James McAvoy earn Olivier Award nominations

LONDON, March 9 (UPI) -- Memphis: The Musical led the field with nine mentions when nominations for the Olivier Awards for excellence in London theater were announced Monday.

Coming in close behind is Beautiful: The Carole King Musical with eight nods.

Winners are to be announced April 12 at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House.

The nominees for the top awards are:

Best New Play King Charles III The Nether Taken at Midnight Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies

Best Revival of Play A View From the Bridge A Streetcar Named Desire The Crucible My Night with Reg Skylight

Best New Musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Here Lies Love Memphis: The Musical Sunny Afternoon

Best Musical Revival Cats City of Angels The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Miss Saigon

Best Director Rupert Goold for King Charles III Jeremy Herrin for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies Josie Rourke for City of Angels Ivo Van Hove for A View From the Bridge

Best Actor Richard Armitage for The Crucible James McAvoy for The Ruling Class Tim Pigott-Smith for King Charles III Mark Strong for A View From the Bridge

Best Actress Gillian Anderson for A Streetcar Named Desire Kristin Scott Thomas for Electra Imelda Staunton for Good People Penelope Wilton for Taken At Midnight

Best Actor in a Musical Jon Jon Briones for Miss Saigon John Dagleish for Sunny Afternoon Killian Donnelly for Memphis: The Musical Brandon Victor Dixon for The Scottsboro Boys

Best Actress in a Musical Gemma Arterton for Made in Dagenham Katie Brayben for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Tamsin Greig for Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown: The Musical Beverley Knight for Memphis: The Musical

Best Actor in a Supporting Role David Calder for The Nether Richard Goulding for King Charles III John Light for Taken at Midnight Nathaniel Parker Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies

Best Actress in a Supporting Role Phoebe Fox for A View From the Bridge The Girls playing Iris for The Nether Angela Lansbury for Blithe Spirit Lydia Wilson for King Charles III

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Rolan Bell for Memphis: The Musical George Maguire for Sunny Afternoon Ian McIntosh for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Jason Pennycooke for Memphis: The Musical

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical Samantha Bond for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: The Musical Haydn Gwynne for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown: The Musical Nicole Scherzinger for Cats Lorna Want for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical