The South Australian government has announced plans to redevelop the historic Her Majesty’s Theatre.

An extra 570 seats will be added to the theatre, increasing total capacity to around 1500. Another balcony of seating will be added and there will be improvements to the orchestral pit and technical facilities.

The expansion means that shows like The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Les Miserables and Once will now have a suitable venue.

The government said the extension of Her Majesty’s was expected to enable the theatre to host at least 50 more performances a year.

The State Government also announced on the weekend that it will return $7.7 million to the arts budget in a statement that read, “The funding will include $700,000 for the Adelaide Festival of Arts, $3 million for Arts South Australia and $4 million each year to drive economic activity and job opportunities in the arts.”