New Jersey's own Michelle Buteau will bring some laughs to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark on Thursday at 7 p.m. The comedian and actress grew up in Mercer, Burlington and Morris counties. She hosts the reality competition show "The Circle" and is getting ready to star in a new Netflix series "Survival of the Thickest," which is based on her autobiographical essay book by the same name.

Grammy-winning gospel singer Hezekiah Walker is one of the many Gospel musicians performing at the 40th annual McDonald's Gospelfest in Newark on Mother's Day weekend. The annual Gospel music festival returns to the Prudential Center on Saturday, May 13. The Clark Sisters will also perform. Newark native Cissy Houston, the late Whitney Houston’s mother, will receive this year's Gospelfest Lifetime Achievement Award.