Quick Takes - April 5, 2013

Netflix’s ‘Development’

The Bluths will be back just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

Netflix said it will premiere 15 new episodes of the cult hit “Arrested Development,” starring Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, on May 26 on its online streaming service. With the next day being a national holiday, fans of the show will have two full days to binge on the new episodes.

Created by Mitch Hurwitz, “Arrested Development” follows the adventures of the dysfunctional Bluth family after their fall from grace and high society. It ran on Fox from 2003 to 2006. Although it had a loyal following and won an Emmy for best comedy, it never became a mainstream hit. However, the show’s popularity has soared since it went off the air thanks to DVDs and Netflix.

—Joe Flint

Stritch winds down her career

New York theater institutions don’t come much feistier or more dynamic than Elaine Stritch. The tart-tongued, 88-year-old force of nature — whose stage career includes memorable collaborations with Stephen Sondheim and Edward Albee — began her farewell series of cabaret performances this week at the Cafe Carlyle.

Stritch announced last month that she would be retiring from the stage and moving back to her native Michigan. The actress cited failing health for her decision. Stritch has lived at the Carlyle Hotel for years and has performed cabaret acts there since 2005. On Tuesday evening, Stritch began her final five performances to an audience that included Tom Hanks, Tony Bennett, Martin Short, Liza Minnelli and Bernadette Peters. Earlier this week, Hanks opened on Broadway in “Lucky Guy” by Nora Ephron.

Reports stated that Stritch bantered with Hanks from the stage and that she talked more than she sang. Still, she eked her way through three songs, including a number by Rodgers and Hart. She was accompanied by her longtime collaborator, Rob Bowman, on the piano.

—David Ng

Soul performers at White House

President Obama has long had a soft spot for Al Green. Now he’s making his affection for classic soul music official, with a White House concert dedicated to Memphis musical traditions.

The show, part of PBS’ “Performance at the White House” series, will feature Green and a bevy of guests, including Justin Timberlake, the Alabama Shakes, Mavis Staples, Steve Cropper, Charlie Musselwhite and Booker T. Jones. The concert is Tuesday and will air on PBS on at 8 p.m. April 16.

—August Brown

Louvre selects a new director

The Musée du Louvre — the world’s most-attended art museum — has named Jean-Luc Martinez as director. Martinez has most recently served as the head of the museum’s department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities. He is expected to succeed Henri Loyrette starting April 15.

Martinez’s appointment, which the Paris museum announced this week, was made by French President Francois Hollande. A respected archaeologist, Martinez, 49, joined the museum in 1997.

The Louvre has annual attendance of about 10 million visitors, more than any other art museum in the world. Its works include the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci and the “Venus de Milo” statue. Loyrette served as the museum’s head for 12 years. Under his leadership, the Louvre expanded its geographic reach, creating a satellite location in northern France. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open in 2015.

—David Ng