In a sweeping, ambitious effort, Cloquet High School’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” transports theater-goers back in time and place — and into a dark dimension — in its production of Victor Hugo’s enduring novel.

Indeed, the trappings are glorious, from Iris Keller’s breathtaking stained-glass window to the spectacular costumes, the set pieces’ clean and classy lines, and impressive props. With the angelic strains of the onstage choir enveloping and then transcending the physical confines of the theater, it’s a masterpiece in stagecraft.

And it is with this production tha...