Acclaimed author and activist Don Winslow thought he would retire from writing after his last novel, "City in Ruin" came out in 2024.

But this year, he marks his return to fiction with a collection of six novellas, "The Final Score."

Thursday on Midday Edition, Winslow talks about exploring identity in his latest work, his decision to return to writing, and his advocacy in the current political moment.

Then, KPBS' Beth Accomando sits down with the co-founder of Riot Productions to talk about their latest play, "Audition Sides," which tells a love story between two actors stuck in a callback audition.

And finally, there is plenty to do in the arts this weekend. KPBS' Julia Dixon Evans shares all the events to check out, plus a preview of what to check out in "The Finest."

• Don Winslow, author and activist, "The Final Score"
• Sarah Alida LeClair, playwright and actress, "Audition Sides;" artistic director and founder, Riot Productions
• Julia Dixon Evans, arts reporter and host of "The Finest," KPBS