The names on Emma Tate's parent conference schedule are all famous songwriters and composers for musicals: (Frank) Loesser, (Meredith) Willson, (Irving) Berlin, (Alan Jay) Loerner, and (Frederick) Loewe.
The song "Strife + Tribulation" sung by Kristin Chenoweth is obviously a nod to Robert Preston's "Ya got Trouble" from "The Music Man"
In "Tribulation," Mildred (Kristin Chenoweth) sings, "Oh, we've got strife! (Got strife!) / And tribulation! (Tribulation!) / And not to mention miscegenation (That sounds bad!)." "Miscegenation" is an antiquated word for a mixture of races, especially in romantic relationships (Merriam-Webster states: "Note: The word miscegenation is associated especially with historical laws against interracial marriage. In the United States, such laws were declared unconstitutional in 1967"). In the first episode of season one, Josh observes very quickly that although the town seems to have a racially mixed citizenry, Mildred immediately expresses her obvious disapproval of the fact that he and Melissa are an interracial couple.
In the "Tribulation" number, Mildred Layton carries a broom. Kristin Chenoweth played the original Galinda/Glinda, the Good Witch in the Broadway musical "Wicked."