sentences:  The Regent Theatre reopened with a gala event on 17 August 1996, and on 26 October Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Boulevard" premiered.In April 2019, Marriner Group in partnership with the building's owners, the Victorian State Government and the Melbourne City Council, commenced a major refurbishment of the Regent Theatre auditorium.Alongside cosmetic upgrades including replica heritage pattern carpets and paintwork repair, the major construction component was an extension to the Dress Circle balcony, bringing it four meters closer to the stage in order to improve the relationship between audience and stage.