Calleen Bidman sliced up nearly 60 pounds of oranges to help feed the Peking Acrobats before their January performance at Kentwood High School.
She also tracked down Kit Kat candy bars to have on hand for singer Al Stewart before he performed several years ago in Kent.
Those are just a couple of the chores that fall under Bidman’s responsibilities as an administrative assistant for the city of Kent parks department. She works in the cultural programs division that sponsors about 16 concerts per year as part of the annual city of Kent Spotlight Series.
“I’m here to make sure their needs are met before and after a performance,” Bidman said of the artists.
Much of Bidman’s work for the city revolves around a regular 9-to-5 routine of answering phones, running the reception desk and processing financial contracts in her office at City Hall.
But Bidman works nights and weekends when artists come to town for the Spotlight Series. She handles all the food and drink requests (spelled out in contracts with the artists) as well as selling tickets at the box office for the shows at the Kent-Meridian and Kentwood high schools’ performing arts centers.
“I like the variety of things the job entails,” said Bidman, who has worked for the city for 10 years. “I like the performers you get to meet, setting up the dinners, and even getting props for their sets.”
The requests can run from simple to complex. The members of The Men of Worth just wanted a few sandwiches and water at room temperature before their performance last week at Kent-Meridian.
Other artists ask for a certain brand of water or even buffet dinners.
“It runs from gluten-free diets to vegetarian diets all the way to fried chicken,” Bidham said.
Ronda Billerbeck, the cultural programs manager, lines up the acts for the Spotlight Series. Bidman takes over when it comes to working with the artists at the venues.
“She’s the catering guru for the artists,” Billerbeck said. “She’s fantastic at it.”
The artists are used to performing at bigger centers that are set up with hospitality or green rooms as well as kitchens. Bidman turns classrooms at the high schools into the green rooms.
“We don’t have the facilities of a lot of the performing arts centers,” Billerbeck said. “A lot of them have kitchens. For us, we’re handling it out of the back of Calleen’s car.”
Bidman shows up at a venue several hours before a show to make sure everything is ready to go. She displays the food-and-beverage items in a classroom, whether it’s just for one artist or larger groups with as many as two dozen or so members, such as the Peking Acrobats.
“The cooler’s my friend,” Bidman said about hauling beverages and food to Kentwood and Kent-Meridian.
Bidman grew up in Kent and graduated from Kent-Meridian. She lives in Fairwood with her husband Tim Bidman. They have three adult children. She enjoys traveling, hiking, boating and gardening.
Although Bidman doesn’t consider herself a huge music fan, she enjoyed the chance to meet Stewart about five years ago at a Kent concert.
“Al Stewart was a thrill for me,” Bidman said. “I grew up with his music. He was an absolute delight.”
Billerbeck has watched the way Bidman treats Stewart and all of the artists.
“She’s very friendly and makes them feel right at home,” Billerbeck said.
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